


Running Too Far

by khd14



Series: Peyton + Richard [1]
Category: British Actor RPF, Richard Armitage - Fandom
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adjusting to life in London, Angst, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Government Agencies, Government Conspiracy, London, Military, Minor Violence, Moving In Together, Sexual Content, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-01
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 18:50:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 37,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1398661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khd14/pseuds/khd14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
<a href="http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/khdent/media/be4aa2af-9aa1-4ede-8950-9ecc52c87610_zps08897d8e.png.html"><img/></a></p><p>AU Richard Armitage is on a mission through the Royal Marines to go undercover in the United States. He's been sent to escort a doctor of infectious diseases back to London for a new job assignment, but he soon finds out things aren't exactly as they seem in the US.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||one||**

**may 3**

Richard opened the accordion file and sat it on the tray above his knees, pulling out the folders and reading over the confidential material slowly. He brought the small plastic cup full of ice + whiskey to his lips and took a sip, letting a few of the personnel files fall from his hands. The worn 3"x3" picture landed on his lap and he picked it up gingerly. He caught himself staring at the photo, captivated by her perfectly plump lips and contagious smile.

His fingers grazed the edge of the thick, glossy paper and he stared at it for a few more minutes before placing it back in her file. He reread her stats, although he practically had them memorized; _twenty nine, graduate of Duke University, studied infectious diseases, top in her class._

The captain's voice floated through the cabin, announcing their descent into Washington DC. He shoved the folders back into the large file and stuck it in his backpack, grabbing a folded up newspaper from the seat pocket in front of him. He opened up the paper in an attempt to prepare his nerves for the descent and landing.

He despised flying. The abundance of people, the close quarters, the turbulence, and did he mention the people? His nerves broke away 10 minutes later and he let out a sigh of relief, the wheels of the plane meeting the landing strip at such a force it produced beads of sweat from under his black fitted baseball cap. He folded the newspaper back up and stuck it where he found it, hoping someone else would get more use out of it than he did.

It had been a long flight from Heathrow and he was anxious to get back onto solid ground. He needed a decent meal and at least a few days to recover from his lack of sleep. He looked around at the people, most of whom were already too friendly, and silently missed London. Sure, he only had a three month assignment to the US, but he knew he couldn't help but to miss the smug atmosphere that Britain seemed to embrace.

Once he was able to retrieve his carry-on bags and depart the plane, he made his way to customs and sent a message to Staff Sergeant Morrow, informing him of his arrival. Almost thirty minutes later, he walked out of baggage claim and headed towards a black Jeep, where thankfully he was able to recognize Parker Morrow.

"Staff Sergeant Morrow?" Richard inquired, setting his bags down by the SUV.

Parker smiled warmly at the Brit standing in front of him. "Correct. Major-General Armitage, I presume?"

“Call me Richard, please,” Richard responded, dropping his bags and shaking his hand.

“The name is Parker. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, my father has told me a lot about you and what you do in the Royal Marines.” Parker responded. He opened the back of the Jeep and began loading Richards bags.

“It’s a pleasure, Parker."

They loaded themselves into the vehicle and began heading away from the airport. Richard glanced at his watch, 10 minutes to 9pm and he was already exhausted. He rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Are you hungry? You must be starving, I've always despised eating on an airplane. My mother is cooking dinner, if that's alright. Otherwise I can take you straight to the house." Parker rambled.

Richard smiled. "Dinner sounds wonderful, thank you. And I'm staying with you, correct?"

"Yes. My twin sister Peyton and I live on base, close to my parents house. It's a lot roomier and more comfortable than staying in the barracks. And not to mention a lot more comfortable than with my parents." Parker explained.

"I appreciate the thought. Three months is a long time to be away from home. I'm just glad I've been given the opportunity to spend it with you wonderful people." Richard expressed.

"Well, it's our pleasure, Richard. I sure hope you enjoy your time here, and if you need anything, anything at all, please let me know."

*****

**may 4**

Richard rolled over and reached for his phone on the bedside table, the sun shining brightly through the horizontal window above his bed. He shielded his eyes with an extra pillow, but the grumbling in his stomach wasn't going to let him get anymore rest. He needed food.

The clock on his phone surprised him as it was after 8am and he hadn't slept that long in months, years probably. He sighed and grudgingly peeled himself out of bed; pulling on a plain gray tshirt and black gym shorts, heading upstairs towards the kitchen.

He stopped short at the bar in the kitchen, the tall blond catching his eye. She had her back to him, her hips swaying to the music pouring into her ears through a pair of white ear buds. She searched through the large refrigerator silently, grabbing a bottle of water from the top shelf and shut the door gently, in a world all to herself.

He smiled softly to himself, wondering if he should do something to make his presence known before it was too late. She took a spoon out of a drawer and began eating from a small bowl, putting her phone down onto the counter. He laughed softly, his right hand covering the lower part of his face - he didn't want her to see him smiling.

She turned around, her hips still swaying to the music, her blue eyes meeting his. The corners of her mouth slowly began to curl up into a devious smile he'd seen before. Her eyebrows rose on her forehead, a soft pink blushing her cheeks. She pulled her headphones from her ears.

"Do you find something amusing?" Her southern drawl made his breathing almost cease to exist.

He raised his eyebrows. "You surprised me, that's all."

"I surprised you? You're the stranger in my house, watching me while I fix my breakfast, in my underwear." She stated, her free hand attempting to find the hem of her navy blue Duke University tshirt, stretching it down over her pink boy shorts.

_This was exactly how he imagined her._

"I apologize, my name is Richard," He started.

She laughed. "Don't be silly, I know who you are. If I didn't, you wouldn't be standing there, alive, in my dining room."

"A woman after my own heart," He chuckled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Mr. Armitage. I hardly know you." She winked at him and sat on top of the kitchen counter.

"And you must be Peyton," He stated, crossing his arms across his chest.

"The one and only," She replied, pushing her black rimmed glasses up her nose.

"It's a pleasure, Peyton. I apologize I wasn't able to meet you last night after I got in from dinner at your parents."

"Don't apologize. I was already sound asleep. You must be starved. Would you like some breakfast?"

"I'm famished. But don't worry about it, I'll find something easy to fix. I'm not a difficult guy," He replied, walking into the large kitchen.

She laughed. "I wasn't offering to cook for you. You have two hands, I'm sure you can manage breakfast."

"You're quite the sassy one, aren't you," He exclaimed, shaking his head.

"There is yogurt, milk, eggs, bacon in the fridge. Cereal and oatmeal is in that cupboard," She pointed to her right. "Just make yourself at home, and let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, Peyton, I really appreciate the hospitality." He replied, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a carton of orange juice.

"Glasses?" She turned around and pulled out a glass from the cupboard behind her and handed it to him. "Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for the lack of pants, I didn't think you would be up this early after having such a long day yesterday."

He smirked. "Don't apologize, I'm in your home, do as you please."

She nodded. "I'll remember that."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||two||**

**may 5**

Parker stumbled lazily past the living room, heading towards the kitchen in an attempt to start his morning.

"Good morning Parker," Richard greeted, bringing the steaming teacup to his lips.

"Morning, Richard. Didn't think you'd be up this early," Parker said, a small yawn escaping his mouth.

"Still trying to adjust to the time zones. I've been up for an hour or so."

Parker started to fix himself some coffee. "Did you meet Peyton?"

Richard nodded. "I did. Yesterday morning during breakfast."

"She's something else. I'm sure you'll get tired of her bossy, sassy self soon." Parker smiled.

Richard laughed quietly. "You realize she's on the couch?"

Parker froze. "She's where?!" He exclaimed quietly.

"She's bundled up on the couch. I walked by her when I came upstairs, all I saw was a mess of blond curls peeking out." Richard smiled and sat his cup of tea down onto the counter.

Parker walked quietly into the living room, noticing her laptop on the coffee table and a bundle of files next to it. "She's been working late. Has a big presentation next week and is going through resumes to fill her position. I don't envy her workload, that's for sure."

"So she works on base?" "She does. She's in the underground laboratories. She works with the FBI and of course Quantico with the medical department." Parker responded, taking his cup of coffee and setting it down on the bar. "Would you like some breakfast?"

Richard sat down at the bar. "You don't have to do that, mate. I can fix my own breakfast."

"I don't mind one bit. Just some bacon, eggs, and toast." Parker replied, taking out the frying pans from the bottom cabinet.

"Thank you Parker. That would be wonderful." Richard circled the teacup with his fingertips. "So how do you feel about your relocation to London?"

Parker shrugged. "It's definitely going to be a new experience. I'm looking forward to it, that's for sure."

"What about Peyton?" Richard inquired, a twinge of anxiety on his breath.

"Peyton is always so adventurous and curious; always trying new things, pushing herself out of her own comfort zone. She looks at it as a chance to start over."

"A chance to start over?" Richard repeated.

Parker sighed. "Yeah. She went through a bad breakup and feels like she needs a new, fresh start."

"I know how that feels," Richard empathized.

"You too, hmm?" Parker inquired, gathering the eggs and bacon from the fridge.

"Divorce," Richard replied, bitterness still on his tongue, the thought of her making him ill.

"Sorry to hear that. It's tough." Parker replied, his tone soft.

"Ah, you as well?"

Parker nodded. "It's been a few years. Love of my life from the age of 16. One morning she told me she wasn't in love with me and wanted to leave. What could I say? I tried, we worked on it for a few months, but she just wasn't there, emotionally or physically, for me anymore."

"It's for the best. Sometimes we realize, later on in life, that it's not what it seems. I thought I wanted a wife, I thought I wanted kids. But I preferred being by myself. I thought she would change that, make me feel differently. Never had kids, she resented me for it and left."

"Peyton has always had the right mindset. From the moment we were small, and all the other little girls wanted to be wives and mothers, she wanted to get her hands dirty, become a doctor, have no one depending on her. She doesn't want to get married, barely wants to settle down. It drives our mother insane, which I'm sure is one of the reasons she still keeps that mindset." Parker laughed, frying the eggs and bacon, reminiscing on their childhood.

"She seems like the type of woman who loves to push other peoples buttons." Richard said, his voice cracking with laughter.

Parker turned around to face him and grinned. "You have no idea."

*****

**may 9**

Richard walked into the living room and smiled. "You're up early," He noted to Peyton as he sat on the other end of the couch.

She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep," She admitted, her eyes never trailing from the glowing TV in front of them.

"Do you have something on your mind, or...?" He took a sip of coffee from the cup in his hands.

"No, it's not that; sometimes, I just don't sleep." She turned and looked at him, smiling softly.

He nodded, his attention turning to the television, glowing brightly with MSNBC news.

"Doesn’t this worry you at all?"

She looked at him questioningly.

“The government. The civilian rallies, the protests…” He trailed off, concern in his voice.

"I don't know anymore. Unfortunately, you're never going to make everyone happy. Someone is always going to feel offended, someone is always going to feel as if their rights have been violated. I'm just hoping we get to London before something outrageous happens." She turned and looked at him, her voice low.

"Do you feel as if something outrageous will happen?"

"Why not? As Americans we have the right to protest, to continue to support our beliefs, practice what religion or love we want. If people aren't happy with the way they're being treated, they need to take a stand. I mean, it's not as if we're being enslaved or tortured or killed because of our beliefs. But we still have the right as citizens to protest what we feel is or isn’t right."

Richard nodded. "We don't know how good we have it."

"Exactly. I've studied in Africa. The genocide, the child soldiers, the gender inequality. It's infuriating; there are countries out there who barely have clean, running water and we're protesting over government health care." She scoffed, turning her attention back to the television.

"But you knew that already."

"Does that bother you, Peyton?"

"No. I guess you could say, I'm used to the government knowing my every move and decision." She chuckled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||three||**

**may 15**

Richard tried not to stare at Peyton through the glass cubicle, but overall her beauty was winning out. She was leaning down over the microscope, her black framed glasses sitting gently on the eyepiece, studying the specimen intently. He studied her body completely, her black leggings showing off her perfectly taut thighs. She pushed the sleeves of her grey and purple cardigan up towards her elbows and took the Petri dish from underneath the microscope and secured it in a unit to her left.

After coming out of the bulletproof office and locking the door behind her on the keypad, she walked over to him. "Hey Richard," She greeted, a smile on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon, Peyton." He smiled at her. "Your father asked that I come by."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "And why's that?"

"Can't I just come by and say hello?"

She tilted her head towards him. "Of course you can. We just don't get too many visitors down here, that's all." She replied with a smile.

He followed Peyton to her office and shut the door behind him. "Quantico is on lock down right now."

"What?!" She exclaimed, turning around to face him.

He sat down on the couch beside her desk. "There's been some disturbances in DC."

"Disturbances?" She repeated, sitting in the leather chair behind her desk.

"I don't really know of the details, but, all I know is that you can't go out." He leaned back on the couch.

"Oh please. Don't lie to me, I know you're aware of the details."

He smirked. "I can't tell you that, Peyton. I can say that there were shots fired at the Capitol as a result of the protests this morning."

"So it's pretty bad out there?"

He rubbed his hand across his beard covered chin. "It's not good," He said, his voice low.

She nodded. "Alright. I had some plans tonight, I guess we’ll just reschedule."

"Well, I'm sorry about that. You'll be stuck with me all night." He laid his arm across the back of the couch.

"Oh is that so?"

He laughed. "Your brother is on duty at the North gates."

"And let me guess? They want you to stay with me?"

He shrugged. "It wasn't my idea, Peyton. I know you can take care of yourself, I know you don't need me trailing around after you."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not 5 anymore and they just don't seem to get that." She looked over at Richard. "Did you know that I was tempted not to take the job in London and stay here?"

Richard furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I didn't."

She smiled softly. "Yep. I wanted to stay here at Quantico, maybe get an idea for what it would be like to be by myself, live my life without the two of them watching me like a hawk."

"They do it because they care," He said softly.

Peyton nodded. "Oh, I understand, and I don't mean to sound so shallow, but it can be so frustrating."

"I can only imagine," He tried to sympathize with her, giving her a small smile.

She reciprocated the smile softly and grabbed a stack of folders on her desk. "Do you want to help me go through resumes?"

"I don't know much about infectious diseases, but I can certainly try,"

*****

Peyton sat the glass of wine down on the coffee table and leaned back into the corner of her couch. "You are quite the magnificent chef, Armitage."

Richard smiled at her statement. "Thank you. I took classes when I lived in Rome and Paris, it's a little bit of a hobby, I guess you could say."

"Paris? Rome?" She questioned, a smile on her face. "You must tell me more."

He chuckled. "I guess when you're as old as I am, you are relocated to a lot of foreign places."

"Oh please," She scoffed. "You're not that old."

He took a sip of wine. "Peyton, I'm 42."

She raised her eyebrows. "What? No you're not."

He laughed. "Yes, I promise you. I'll grow another year older in August."

"Well, you certainly don't look it." She shook her head slowly.

"And you don't look 30, either."

She rolled her eyes. "Stop."

"Oh please, don't women love that? Being told they look younger?"

"Not when you legitimately look like you're 19 when you're 30. I'm certainly not complaining, but it can be quite demeaning." She lifted her glass of wine from the table and took a sip. "And women don't love being told they look younger. I mean, I don't know, some might, but I prefer honesty. If I look fat, tell me. If I start getting wrinkles, tell me. I'm made of stone, practically."

"I'm sorry," He chuckled, "obviously I don't have much luck with women."

Peyton shook her head. "Somehow I don't believe that."

"It's true! My mum almost had my head when I filed for divorce." He admitted, refilling his wine glass with the bottle from the table.

"Tried it, didn't like it?"

"Something like that. Searching for something that wasn't there."

"That's what terrifies me." She looked down at her feet, tucked underneath her.

Richard nodded. "It is terrifying. Working for something, then realizing it's not there, and there's nothing you can do to change it."

It was quiet for a few minutes, the air heavy.

"I believe my mother would literally serve my head on a platter if I ever mentioned the word divorce."

"You'd have to be married first," He laughed.

Her eyes widened. "What!" She scoffed.

"I'm sorry," He said, continuing his laughter, " I just couldn't help myself."

"I would take that as rude, but living with Parker, I'm quite numb to the digs." She cut her sparkling eyes toward him.

"You enjoy it, don't lie to yourself."

"I enjoy what? The digs? Living with Parker? You?"

He smirked. "You enjoy all of it."

"Oh, is that what you believe now? That I enjoy you being here?"

"Well who else would take care of you?" He took another sip of his wine.

"You think you're so cute, Armitage."

He winked at her. "You know I'm joking, you're fully capable of taking care of yourself."

"Damn right. And don't you forget it."

He smiled. "Are you ready for the big move to London?"

"Ready for it? Completely. But I'm still a bit nervous."

"Nervous?" He questioned, leaning back further into the corner of the other side of the couch. "Why are you nervous?"

"Oh," She started, her voice low, "the people, the culture. Saying the wrong things, doing the wrong things, making a fool of myself. I mean, I've visited there before and I loved it, but it seemed as if the people were rather... cold. No offense."

He shook his head. "No offense taken. It's just the type of people they are, they are cold and still have a bad taste of Americans in their mouth. And don't worry, I'll be there for you. Whatever you need, we'll be living in the same building, so I can't have you embarrassing me."

"Ah, so we'll be in the same building?"

"Yes. Our flats are literally floors apart from one another." She smirked.

"And how did that happen?"

He smiled. "Well, I needed a place to live, so I had to move back on base. They wanted to put me in the officers quarters, and since it's just me, they assigned me to your building. I wanted your flat originally, as it has better views of the property, so I wound up getting second choice."

She shook her head. "And you just happened to pick my building?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not stalking you, Peyton Morrow. I didn't even know that was the building they assigned you."

"Sure you didn't." She teased him lightly.

"Maybe I should change now that I actually know you. I mean, you are kind of bossy. And sassy. Those Brits don't know what they have coming."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||four||**

**may 16**

Richard walked into Lieutenant General Austin Morrow's home office and shook hands with the tall man. "It's good to see you, Richard." He greeted Richard joyfully.

"And you as well, Lieutenant General Morrow."

Austin scoffed. "Please, call me Austin." He pointed to the chair across from his desk. "Please, sit."

"Absolutely." Richard sat in the leather chair with a sigh.

"So how did the other night go with my daughter?"

Richard smiled. "Nothing out of the ordinary, sir."

Austin sat at his desk and leaned back in his chair. "I'm worried about her safety."

"Her safety?" Richard repeated, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Our government keeps enticing her to stay." He admitted, his voice low.

"She's made her decision, why do they continue to entice her?"

Austin sighed. "Peyton," He began, standing up out of his seat and walking over towards his bar, "Peyton is a very intelligent human being, Richard. She's one of those people who remembers every single conversation; every book that she has read; every piece of information regarding drugs, diseases, clinical studies. She's a piece of pertinent information that they need."

Richard lowered his head, nodding in agreeance. "I see," He started, his mind working in circles. "So do we need to move her to London sooner?"

"I don't believe that would be such a good idea. The last thing I want to do is alarm them by taking her out sooner than planned." He poured a glass of whiskey in a small glass and turned to Richard. "Would you like a drink?"

Richard nodded. "Please."

Austin handed Richard a glass of whiskey and walked back around to his desk. "So you see my predicament here."

"How exactly are they enticing her?" Richard questioned, taking a drink of his whiskey.

"More money. Nicer car. Bigger house." Austin threw the newspapers across his desk. "And with all this going on," He started, pointing at the papers regarding the potential government collapse, "I've just about had it."

"I understand your concern," Richard leaned his elbows onto his thighs and sat the glass of whiskey on top of Austin's desk. "Would you like for me to call London? Get their opinions. I'm sure they have more information than we might."

"That would be helpful, Richard. Get another set of eyes on the situation."

Richard smiled supportively.

"What are your thoughts on this?"

"Well," Richard started, leaning back in his chair, "It seems as if your government is slowly falling at your feet, which can result in nothing but chaos and panic. I feel as if getting everyone out as soon as possible is the only possible solution, but at the same time, we all still have jobs to do. Including me."

"Which you can get out of easier than I can," Austin joked.

Richard nodded, smiling. "It's possible, yes."

"So if I can't leave, or I feel as if it's too dangerous, you have to take Peyton." Austin pleaded with Richard, his voice sincere.

"Absolutely."

*****

**may 24**

"So, what does this mean?" Richard inquired, laying a copy of the newspaper down beside Peyton on the kitchen counter.

"A government controlled shutdown?" She replied, taking the paper in her hands and unfolding it gently.

Richard nodded.

"Basically, everything will be shut down. The banks, post office, court houses, all federal run parks services, the USDA, museums. Military will continue to be active." She responded, watching him gather breakfast ingredients from the fridge.

"What about you? Will you continue to work?"

Peyton shrugged. "I'll probably just be on call."

He nodded. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"I'd love some, thank you."

"You certainly know more about politics than you let on, Peyton."

"Well, there's a difference between common sense and politics. I choose not to get involved in politics, I absolutely despise it."

"Is there a certain reason as to why you despise it?"

"People lie." It was a simple response, yet it was nothing but the truth.

Richard began making breakfast, cracking the farm fresh eggs against the side of the metal mixing bowl.

"I think I could get used to this," She smirked, setting the newspaper down. She continued watching him in his element, his long fingers wrapping around the whisk, his wrist snapping smoothly with each movement. He turned around slowly.

"Excuse me?" He inquired, smiling.

"You have this chef thing down, and I must say, it looks wonderful on you."

*****

**2 months earlier**

Richard turned toward his commanding officer and stood up from his chair to greet him properly. “General Stewart.” Richard took the bundle of files from his outstretched hand and laid them on the desk.

"Richard. You'll be leaving in May and coming back in August with Dr. Morrow. You must remember that she, nor her family, are aware of her status. With the US government heading the way it is, they're going to want to keep her, and we can't let that happen."

"So I'll strictly be undercover?" Richard inquired, sitting back down in his chair.

"Yes. Your cover will be tactical training for the special forces team. You're going to have to learn the ways of the US government in order to keep her protected, as well as everything about her to try and keep her under control."

Richard raised his eyebrows. "Under control?"

"She's a bit of a handful. Enjoys defying the rules."

"I'll do my best," Richard responded, shaking his head softly.

"Thank you, Richard. I know she'll be in good hands,"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||five||**

**may 28**

Peyton turned towards the voice coming through her bedroom door.

"Peyton, are you alright?"

"Yes, Richard, I'm fine." She responded, her eyes falling on his face.

Richard walked over and sat down on the side of her bed, where she was curled up in a chenille blanket. "Parker mentioned that you had a meeting this afternoon that got a little out of control."

She sighed softly and nodded. "It did."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Oh, not really. They just keep trying to get me to stay, and each time, it just gets more intense."

"Intense? How?"

She shook her head. "They are just getting frustrated because I won't stay. They want me to move to this underground base in the Midwest."

He raised his eyebrows. "An underground base?"

"Yes, apparently in case the government collapses and the world goes to shit, they're trying to make sure certain people are accounted for."

"And you are one of those certain people."

She shrugged. "Apparently."

He combed his fingers through his hair, his hand landing on the back of his neck. "Do you know anything else about it?"

"Not really. Just that I would be taken care of, so to speak."

He sighed heavily.

"What?" She inquired, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Nothing, nothing." He smiled at her. "Sorry for the interruption. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He started to stand up.

"Richard, don't leave, please." Peyton pleaded quietly.

He sat back down quickly. "Are you sure you're alright, Peyton?"

She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I don't know," She started, feeling the tears pool into her already bloodshot eyes. "I just feel like I have no idea what's going on anymore."

"Oh, Peyton," He slid closer towards her, placing his hand on her exposed knee.

"I love what I do, and I feel like I'm continuing to be manipulated when there's nothing I can do about it," She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with her thumb and looked up at him, his dark eyes studying her face. "What am I doing so wrong, Richard?"

He shook his head. "Peyton, you're not doing anything wrong."

"Can't we just go to London now? I don't want to be here anymore,"

He reached over and brushed a few stray tears from her cheek, his fingertips lingering on her skin. "Peyton, it's not that simple." He dropped his hand from her face, and she grasped onto it tightly.

"Please?"

He hesitated. "I'll see what I can do, okay?"

*****

**june 6**

"Peyton seems to have taken quite kindly to you, Richard."

Richard shrugged his shoulders lightly. "She's easy to talk to." He mumbled, clasping his hands together tightly.

Austin nodded his head lightly, his gaze still intent on Richard's purpose. The phone rang, startling them both. "That must be London," He declared, turning the phone towards Richard, who answered quickly.

"Major-General Armitage here."

"Armitage, it's Stewart. How's everything across the pond?"

Richard smiled. "Going well, so far. I have Lieutenant General Morrow with me on the line,"

"Ah, Lt General Morrow! Its wonderful to hear from you!"

"Yes, General Stewart, you as well. I hope everything is wonderful on your side of the world,"

"Yes, thank you! So how's everything in Washington?"

Richard's eyes met Austin's. "Wonderful."

"Still on track?"

"Aye." Richard responded, awaiting Stewart's reply of the emergency code word.

"Brilliant. Richard, ring me up when you get back to London and we'll have a few pints."

"Absolutely."

"Lt General Morrow, always wonderful to hear from you. Call if you have any problems now!"

Austin looked over at Richard as the line went dead. "Well, good conversation, Richard. But I have some work I need to do," He said, his eyes trailing to the door.

Richard nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then."

Both men got up of their chairs and headed towards the door to his home office. "Five minutes," Austin whispered to Richard as he opened the door and escorted him to the front door.

Richard strolled through the entryway and out of the front porch, sticking his hands in his pockets, where he walked a few doors down to Peyton and Parker's home. He let himself in through the front door and headed through the hallway to pick up his charging cell phone on the kitchen counter.

"Hey, Peyton. I thought you were at work."

Peyton smiled at him from the kitchen counter. "Hey Richard. I came home early. Am I interrupting something?" She inquired, raising her eyebrows.

Richard smiled. "No, nothing like that. I'm coming back from a meeting with your father."

"Ah," She started, dipping a spoon into the container of chocolate fro-yo in her hands. "all is well, I presume?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just trying to adhere to your request,"

"Is that so?" She took the spoon in her mouth and moaned softly, the smooth chocolate satisfying her craving.

Richard raised his eyebrows. "That must be some phenomenal chocolate," He muttered, smirking softly.

"It is. Would you like some?" She offered, holding out the plastic container.

He pulled the cutlery drawer open, grabbed a spoon and walked over to her. "So now you're sharing?"

Peyton gasped. "Well would you like some or not?!"

Richard dipped the spoon into the creamy frozen goodness and tasted it for himself. "That is definitely some phenomenal chocolate," He smirked, watching her intently.

"Told you so."

He took another bite and leaned up against the counter next to her.

"So I have a favor to ask of you."

Richard turned towards her. "And what's that?"

"I've been asked to speak at Duke next week and I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me."

"And what would I owe this pleasure to?" He smirked.

"Well, it's a 4 hour drive, and I'd get quite lonely. They're putting me up at this amazing hotel and I need someone to share it with. Everyone else is busy and it's such last minute,"

"Oh, so, I'm the last option?"

"Not entirely. It would do you some good to get out of Washington DC, take a road trip, witness the glorious state of North Carolina."

He chuckled. "Now how could I refuse that offer?"

She shrugged. "Truthfully, I knew you wouldn't."

"Ah, there's your father, right on time," Richard stated, setting the spoon in the sink. He went over to the french doors off the kitchen and pulled them open.

"Richard, good to see you again. Peyton, sweetheart, why aren't you at the office?"

Peyton smiled and slid down off the counter and walked over to her father. "I thought I'd try and get an early start on the weekend,"

"Ah, enjoy it while you can, my dear. Richard and I have a few thing to discuss, we'll be in the backyard if you need anything."

Peyton watched as the two left her in the kitchen, their mind elsewhere.

"So she wants to leave for London now?" Austin repeated, crossing his arms against his chest.

Richard nodded. "She asked about a week ago."

"I'm afraid of what will happen if she turns in her resignation."

"I told her to wait, but she's meeting with them again in a few days, and I'm concerned about their relentless provoking." Richard stood beside Austin, both staring off into the distance west.

"So were you able to tell London that? Or do you need to call them yourself?" Richard smiled.

"I was. There's a certain plan in place, but I'll need your help."

"Anything for the sake of her safety, Richard."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**||six||**

**june 6**

"Why did you and my dad meet for so long in my backyard on Saturday?" The words stumbled off her lips quickly in a drunken state.

Richard laughed and took the empty bottle of beer from her hands. "I can't tell you, Peyton. You know that."

"Please?" She pouted. "I don't like not knowing what's going on."

"All you need to know," He started, walking towards her, staring at her intently, "is that everything is being handled."

She bit her bottom lip, her sparkling blue eyes engrossed on him. "Everything is being handled," She repeated sarcastically.

Richard opened the fridge and grabbed two more bottles of beer, giving one to Peyton and one for himself. "Are you mocking me, Doctor Morrow?"

"What? Why would I be mocking you, Armitage?" She took a sip of her beer and sat it down on the counter beside her.

Richard leaned on the counter across from her. "I didn't think it was possible for you to get even sassier, but look at you," He smirked.

"I'm not always sassy," She stated, picking up the beer next to her and taking another sip. "I can be quite sweet."

He laughed. "I'd like to see how that looks on you, Peyton."

She slid off the counter, heading towards the bar where her phone was ringing.

"Parker?" She answered through the speakerphone. "I thought you were on a date."

"I am! But I left my wallet in the living room. Can you bring it to me?" Parker pleaded with her.

"Parker! I'm drinking and can't drive."

"Take the VRE to Union Station, and then get on the metro. I'll wait for you. Please!"

She looked over at Richard. "Ask Richard if he'll escort me. Surely you don't want your drunk twin sister on the metro by herself."

Parker laughed. "Richard, I know it's a lot, but I'd really appreciate it."

"I can’t say no," Richard replied, a smile creeping onto his face as he took her phone in his hand. "We'll be there as quick as we can." Richard ended the call and dropped the phone into his pocket. "You, now, go get some shoes on. I'm going to go do the same."

Peyton took her beer from the counter and headed upstairs toward her master suite, stopping at the bathroom first to do something with her hair and touch up what little makeup she had on. She put her long waves into a braid, combing her side swept bangs out of her face. Finally, she headed into her closet and stopped at the large floor to ceiling mirror, checking out her outfit of choice: dark denim shorts and a plain grey fitted tshirt.

"You still don't have shoes on!" Richard exclaimed from the doorway.

"Should I change?" She turned towards him, her fingertips running along the hem of her shirt.

He smiled at her and shook his head. "No, you look beautiful. Just get some shoes on, please!"

Peyton picked up a pair of teal converses from the shelf and sat down on the floor. "Did you get,"

"Parkers wallet?" He patted the pocket of his leather coat.

"Why are you wearing a coat? It's warm outside."

"You're warm because you're drunk." He opened up his jacket to reveal a shoulder holster with a gun nestled safely inside.

"But you can't have that, can you?"

He smirked. "Yes, I can."

Peyton tied her shoes and stood up. "Oh! I need something," She ran back into her bedroom and dug through her messenger bag. She handed Richard a few cards. "Will you put these in your pocket please?"

"Do I carry everything for you now?"

"Well you already have my phone, and I said please." She crossed her arms across her chest.

He took the cards from her and looked through them. "Your license, debit card, metro card. Do you have everything you need now?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yes. Now let's get to Parker before he kills us."

As the two walked out the front door, Richard grabbed her cardigan from the hallway and held onto it. “Trust me,” He responded as she looked at him questioningly, “you’ll need it later.”

*****

Richard grasped the pole in the train tightly. “Is it always this crowded?”

Peyton shrugged. “Usually.”

She looked at her watch, wrapped snug around her right wrist. “It’s about dinner time anyways.” She stood in front of him, her hand below his on the pole.

“There’s a seat right over there. Why don’t you sit down?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Um,” She started, her eyes glancing around the strangers on the train. “Germs!” She exclaimed, her voice low.

Richard chuckled. "Ah, yes, germs. I apologize, doctor." He winked at her.

Ten minutes later, they were pulling into Union Station. Richard followed behind Peyton as they exited the train and arrived at Union Station. "We need to take the red line to Metro Center and then the blue line to McPherson Square." She turned and informed Richard as they hurried to catch their next train. They were able to successfully reach Parker's destination and rescue him in enough time, despite Peyton's misjudgement on train arrivals.

As they were waiting on the metro platform to head back to Quantico, Richard stepped next to her. "Is this one 4 minutes or 12 minutes?"

Peyton scoffed. "Hey, you know, I've had a little to drink, don't count on every word I say."

He laughed. "I'm just kidding, Peyton. I enjoy spending time with you."

She turned towards him. "Ah, you have to say that, Richard," She mumbled, her eyes floating towards the floor.

Richard's index and middle finger lifted her chin gently. "No, I don't have to say that. I wish I could spend more time with you, Peyton."

"And why can't you?" She inquired, her eyes fixating on his.

"Well we can, I just didn't think you would be interested." He admitted, dropping his hand.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I be interested?"

"You certainly ask a lot of questions,"

Peyton smiled softly. "It's in my nature."

"I know. I like it."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Seven is quite long, as I felt as if I couldn't divide it. Once again: this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||seven||**

**june 8**

"Tell me something that I don't know about you." Richard set the glass of wine down on their table and smiled over at Peyton.

"Well, what don't you know? I've come to the conclusion that you practically already know everything about me." She replied, clasping her hands together lightly.

Richard laughed. "Touche." He looked out over the inlet, enjoying being on the water. "Even though this was a little out of the way, I'm thoroughly enjoying this, Peyton."

"It's one of my favorite restaurants. I stop every time on my way to Duke. The views, the fresh seafood... it's amazing." She smiled.

"Well thank you for bringing me."

"Well thank you for coming with. You could've said no."

Richard smiled coyly. "I think we both know that wasn't going to happen,"

"Ah, yes, you must be able to protect me at all costs, correct?"

"It's nothing personal, Peyton. But trust me when I say that I really enjoy being with you."

Peyton blushed softly. "I like to play the piano." She admitted, her voice low. "When I can't get thoughts or equations or conversations out of my head, I sit down and just play. And with an eidetic memory, I have a lot of thoughts and images I just can't forget."

Richard smiled at her. “I didn’t know that,” He admitted, his fingers curling around the stem of the wine glass.

“Ah, I’m surprised, something you didn’t know about me.” She chuckled, taking a sip of sweet tea.

“Tell me more about yourself, Peyton Morrow.”

She ran her hand through her blond locks, attempting to control it from the light breeze blowing around them. “I hardly speak to my mother, if you’ve noticed.” He nodded, enticing her to continue. “All she wants of me is to get married and have babies. I’ll never forget when I graduated from Duke, where I was handed my doctorate, which I worked my ass off for, and all she could say was ‘you won’t need that once you get married’. She stopped speaking to me last year, when my ex proposed and I said no.”

Richard raised his eyebrows. “Why did you say no? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“He wanted me to stop working.” She replied solemnly, studying his expression.

“That’s unfair,” He responded, shaking his head.

“It is. One of the many reasons I wanted to get out of here.” She agreed, her gaze switching to the inlet in front of them. “I’m going to miss this though.”

He nodded. “I understand. I would too.”

*****

“So how much longer do we have driving?” Richard inquired from the passengers seat.

Peyton pointed to the navigation system screen on the dash. “Only 2 and a half hours.” She smiled over at him.

He looked over at her, the night sky keeping their surroundings dark, yet the light glow of the dash illuminated what he needed to see of her. “Where are we staying?”

“The Franklin Hotel. It’s closer to Chapel Hill, but still only 10 minutes to Duke. If they put me up at a hotel, it’s usually where I always stay.”

“And why’s that?”

She blushed, and he took notice. “It’s the cleanest.”

Richard smiled and chuckled. “You do have your ways about you, don’t you Peyton?”

“I prefer clean sheets and no bugs. Is that so much to ask for?”

“No, not at all,” He muttered, bringing his left arm to rest on the center console of the Land Rover. His hand was inches from hers, resting gently on her leg. “I, also, prefer no bugs,” He laughed, smiling over at her.

She shook her head. “And you think I’m the sassy one,”

“You certainly have your quirks, Peyton, and I’m not complaining. Everyone is different, we all have our own little things that defines us. Me, I tend to be moody and quiet.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being quiet,” She replied, looking over at him. “Sometimes I prefer it.”

He let the conversation die down, the silence encompassing them both. He watched her silently and took in every little detail about her that he could - the way she bit her bottom lip softly; her heavy blinks, her eyelashes, long and mesmerizing; the way she scrunched up her nose when something displeased her; the small group of freckles on the right side of her neck. He let the thought dwell in his mind long enough. His fingers, so close to hers. The yearning to touch her in anyway possible had its limit and he reached over gently, his left hand enclosing on her right hand, still located on her leg.

Peyton looked over at Richard and smiled at him softly, the response he was hoping for. He squeezed her hand lightly, his thumb caressing the softness of her skin. His heart was pounding deep in his chest, the simple gesture bringing a smile to his face.

*****

“I apologize, Dr. Morrow, but somehow your reservations weren’t booked correctly, and the only available room we have is a suite,”

Peyton looked over at Richard who shrugged nonchalantly.

“There’s a couch that pulls out into a queen size bed.” The hotel attendant stated, noticing the uncomfortable scenario in front of her.

Peyton nodded. “That’s fine.”

“Are you sure, Dr. Morrow? We could find another arrangement,”

“No,” Peyton started, her voice growing more aggravated by the minute. “It’s fine. I’m exhausted and just want to get into a room.” She sat down her bag beside her. “I forgot something in the car,” She turned to Richard. “do you mind staying here for a moment?”

“Do you want me to go get it for you?” He inquired, his voice sincere.

“No, I’ll be fine. It’ll only take a minute.” She winked at him and started towards the side door to the parking garage.

Richard watched her entirely until she walked out the door, where she was blinded from his view. He sighed heavily and turned towards the attendant. “Can you send up a bottle of wine, please?”

She smiled. “We have champagne, if that works better,” She replied, her voice a little too cheerful.

“No, no,” Richard started, his eyes concentrating on the door where Peyton would be walking back into, “just a bottle of Merlot, and some glasses.”

“I’ll have that sent up immediately.” He sighed, relieved to see Peyton walking towards him, a leather messenger bag across her torso.

“See?” She smiled at him, “No harm.”

His icy blue eyes grabbed onto hers, and, lost in a moment of their own, forgot where they were.

“Dr. Morrow?”

“Yes, sorry.” She smiled at the attendant and took the key cards from her.

“You’ll be in room 4125. If you need anything else, please let us know.”

She smiled at her. “Thank you.” She reached down to pick up her Louis Vuitton Keepall but Richard beat her to it.

“Come on, posh, let’s get you upstairs.”

“Excuse me?” Peyton raised her eyebrows and followed Richard to the elevators. “Posh?” She repeated.

Richard winked at her. “Yes. Posh. You and your Louis Vuitton,” He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“It was a gift,” She defended, crossing her arms across against her chest.

The elevator doors opened and she stayed planted in front of the open doors.

“Peyton, get in the elevator.”

“No.”

He held out his arm across the doors in order to keep them from closing. Richard sighed heavily. “Peyton, get in the damn elevator.”

“Stop ridiculing me.” She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to ridicule you or make you feel uncomfortable. Now, please get in the elevator.”

She cut her eyes towards him and stepped onto the elevator. He pressed the 4th floor button and leaned up against the elevator wall, his eyes falling on Peyton, who was already engrossed in him. “You enjoy pushing my buttons, don’t you?” He demanded, sighing once again.

She smirked. “It can be a source of entertainment, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Once they were at the floor and the elevator doors opened, Richard motioned for Peyton to go ahead of him. “Please, after you,” He followed behind her, his eyes dipping down to the roundness of her backside, the black cotton shorts catching his attention for the umpteenth time that night. Richard continued to follow her into the room and shut the door behind them. She laid her messenger bag down on the bed and dug out her iPhone + iPad charger, which she promptly found an outlet for and plugged them in. He sat down her bag on the bed.

“Thank you,” She smiled up at him.

“You’re welcome,” He replied, lingering by her side, their eyes locked.

There was a loud knock on the door and she furrowed her eyebrows.

“I ordered wine. I knew you wouldn’t complain.” He smirked, heading towards the door.

“Ah, you’re wonderful, Richard Armitage, I hope you know that.” She called out after him.

He opened the door and the attendant came in and made his way to the bar, where he set down the bottle of Merlot, two wine glasses and a corkscrew.

“Is there anything else you need?”

Richard shook his head. “No, thank you.” He began to uncork the bottle and the attendant left, closing the door tightly behind him.

Peyton took off her sandals and kicked them to the corner of the room, glancing around at the room. The large bed was nestled in a little den behind the couch + tv, nightstands on either side, with a small chandelier above the bed. She ran her hand across the silk duvet cover as she walked into the main area of the suite and sat down on the end of the couch.

Richard handed her a glass of wine.

“Thanks,” She replied, quickly taking a sip in an effort to disengage the butterflies soaring through her system.

He grabbed the bottle of wine along with his own glass and sat them down on the table in front of the couch. He glanced down at his watch. “It’s almost 11. What time do you need to be up in the morning?”

Peyton shrugged. “I don’t have to be there until 11:30 tomorrow morning. If you want, we can grab some breakfast before we spend the day at Duke.”

“Sounds wonderful, Peyton. Your father wants me to meet someone - a professor Emery?” Richard inquired, taking a sip of his wine.

“Ah, yes. He’s been friends with my father since they were young. We’ll go by his office tomorrow morning."

Richard nodded and smiled at her. "Wonderful."

Peyton took another sip of her wine and sighed, silently begging the alcohol to take effect sooner rather than later. She turned and looked at Richard, whose eyes was already on her. The lack of conversation wasn't uncomfortable or nerve wracking, as they were comfortable with each other in the quiet.

Richard laid his arm across the back of the couch, his eyes still intent on Peyton. “I could get used to this,” He muttered, twisting the wine glass around in his hand.

“Tell me what you could get used to,” She smirked, tilting her head to the side, biting her bottom lip softly.

“A relaxing evening spent with good food, wine, wonderful conversation,” He trailed off.

She took another sip of wine. “Too bad you had to spend it with someone who is as sassy as I am, hmm?”

He laughed and shook his head. “You make me feel alive, Peyton Morrow.”

“Alive?” She repeated, the thought of her making someone else feel alive, well, astonishing.

“You make me laugh. You make me think. You frustrate me. You might be sassy and posh but you make me happy.”

Peyton sat the glass of wine down on the table and stood up from the corner of the couch she was occupying, her gaze intent on Richard. He locked onto her stare and smiled at her, unsure of her next moves, but knew that whatever was coming was going to be worth it.

Richard set the glass down on the table next to Peyton’s. She turned and stood in front of him, laying her hands on his shoulders and finally, lowering herself to his lap where she straddled him. “I’ve never made anyone happy before,” She admitted, grasping his shoulders tightly.

He let his hand fall from the back of the couch and ran it up her thigh, finally resting it on her hip. “Peyton, I highly doubt that.”

“No,” She shook her head, her heart giving way and letting her emotions take over her speech. “I’m a difficult person, Richard. I’m too damn smart and I remember things that shouldn’t be remembered and I always seem to make the wrong decisions regarding relationships. I put things I shouldn’t before people and I don’t always know what to say,”

Richard laid his index finger on her lips. “Peyton, we all make mistakes, neither one of us is perfect. But I can’t deny that I’m attracted to you - your mind, your laughter, your lips, your hips, your sass. I can’t continue to sit here and listen to you say what a horrible person you are because you care about your career. You’re not. You’re human. You’re a strong, independent woman who is so talented and smart beyond her years.”

Peyton’s hands traveled to the nape of Richard’s neck, her fingertips dragging slowly against his skin. She tried to remember to breathe as his index finger dropped to her chin, the inevitable about to take place in front of them. Something they both wanted, yet tried to continue to hold back, their shy and quiet personalities taking lead.

She started to speak but Richard shushed her. “Nothing else needs to be said, Peyton,” He explained, shaking his head. She smiled and nodded, the wine now infecting her head and thankfully, her movements. He was so clear in front of her; his icy blue eyes sparkling with desire, his lips curling into a devious smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling with the upcoming anxiety.

Peyton pulled Richard towards her, his lips inches from her. Within a matter of seconds, before either one of them could protest, his lips were pressed to hers. She felt a pull deep within her abdomen as his lips tingled against hers, his hands roaming up her body. Richards hands cradled her face as his tongue found hers.

Not wanting to pull away from him quite yet, Peyton clenched the front of Richards shirt, needing to feel how close he really was. A soft moan was released at the back of her throat, the sheer act of their kiss turning them both on to a point they’ve never been at before. As he began to lean his head back to break their lips apart, Peyton took his bottom lip and bit it softly. His arms fell to her waist, where he grabbed her ass tightly. Her lips came crashing down on his once again, and a deep moan rose from Richards chest where he proceeded to grasp her ass tightly, pulling her towards him quickly.

Peyton broke their kiss, unwillingly, but also knowing that any further actions from him would send her over the edge.

“Now, that,” He mumbled, “is a kiss, Peyton Morrow.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||eight||**

**june 9**

“Peyton,” Richard whispered, his hand combing the curly blond locks out of her face. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to where she was sound asleep, letting his hand fall to her shoulder. “Peyton,” He repeated again, his lips curling into a smile.

She took a deep breath and snuggled into the down comforter that was wrapped around her. “Mmm,” She responded, her eyes still shut tight.

Richard brought his lips to her forehead and kissed the smooth skin gently. “Peyton, it’s time to get up,” He whispered, his lips now at her ear.

“No,” She mumbled, pulling the comforter over her head.

“Yes, it’s after 8,” Richard tugged at the comforter, bringing it past her elbows.

Peyton opened her eyes grudgingly and sighed. “Do I smell coffee?”

“Yes. I stopped by Starbucks a little bit ago.” Richard answered, letting his hand fall to her hip.

She turned onto her back and stretched her arms out across the bed. "You mean you left me all alone?"

"To go and get some coffee, yes," He replied, licking his lips gently.

Peyton smirked and sat up.

"Good morning."

She raised two fingers from her right hand and brought them to her lips. "Good morning," She replied through her fingers in an attempt to hide her morning breath.

Richard chuckled. "Would you like your coffee now?"

"Please," Peyton replied, her eyes intent on Richards.

He smiled and reached towards the nightstand, pulling the beverage back with him. "A tall, sweetened ice coffee for the doctor."

She took a long sip and smiled. "You've become quite good at retrieving my coffee."

"Don't get used to it," He winked.

*****

**{POV: Richard}**

“Richard, it’s wonderful to meet you. Austin called me this morning and told me to be expecting you.” The seasoned professor welcomed me into his large office, bursting with books on the shelves, tables, and any additional space they would fit on.

“And you as well, Professor. Both Austin and Peyton have told me wonderful things about you.” I reached out and shook his hand firmly, meeting his penetrating eyesight.

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry I missed you earlier, I was in a meeting with the head of the department.” The professor sat down slowly in the wooden chair behind the desk, the creaking from the chair disrupting the silence. “Please, sit,” He motioned to the chair across from him and immediately, I sat.

The quicker I could get out of here, the quicker I could get back to Peyton.

“Oh, it’s fine, I thought I’d come by and see if you were back while Peyton is speaking down the hall.”

“Yes, of course. Austin mentioned you had some things you needed to discuss?” He ran his hand through his short salt and pepper hair, reminiscent of military regulations.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed softly. “Yes, there are a few things. We need to see if you can schedule Peyton to speak again in a few weeks. June 23rd and 24th, to be precise.”

“Well, summer term will be started by then, and I’m not sure what classes we’re offering, but let me check,” He began sorting through the mounting paperwork on his desk, finally finding a thick folder and holding it up. “Aha! Found it. Now let’s see…” He thumbed through the information, bringing the reading glasses down from the top of his head and resting them on the end of his nose.

I knew almost immediately that he was prior military and wouldn’t question my motives or requests, which is exactly what I needed. The last thing that needed to happen were flags to be raised at the wrong time. If I could just get Peyton back here in a few weeks without anyone figuring out what was really going on, the hard part would be over.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, Richard. I can go ahead and schedule it now, I’ll send both you and Austin a copy of the itinerary. Do you want me to make reservations at The Franklin?”

I nodded. “Yes, please.”

“Will you be joining her?” He inquired, his thick eyebrows furrowing together.

“Yes. I prefer to keep an eye on her,” I crossed my arms across my chest.

Professor Emery chuckled. “I understand. I hate to run, Richard, but I have yet another meeting. The life of a tenured professor isn’t as easy as they made it seem,” He stood from his desk, and I followed suit.

“Thank you for all of your help, Professor.” I shook his hand as he stopped at the edge of his desk.

“Anything for Peyton, Richard. Just take care of her.”

"I’ll do my best,” We left his office shortly after and I headed down the hall to the classroom I had left Peyton at almost 45 minutes ago.

I leaned up against the doorway as my eyes fell on her, sitting cross legged on the desk in the front of the room. I could listen to her talk all day. The specific way she enunciated certain words; the excitement in her voice and hands as she dwelled on a subject that interested her; the way her eyes grew wide and sparkled at the drop of a hat. I wanted to be able to truly appreciate her for who she really was, and not just statistics + facts on a piece of paper.

She has so much to offer the world, from the knowledge in her mind to the way she would help every person around her before she even thought about herself. The last thing that I ever expected when I accepted this mission was how pure and genuine she really is. I understood why the US government wanted to keep her, and it was solely for her mind. The way she could remember information, numbers, formulas was astonishing, but that was it. They wouldn’t think twice about passing her over or giving her up if they had someone just like her, but they knew they would never find it.

The truth of the matter is, I’m terrified. Terrified by the way their government works and how they can make someone disappear with no one to question their actions, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. She deserved to be treated with dignity and respect, not as if she were a pawn in their seemingly never ending game.

Peyton caught my gaze and smiled, the corners of her lips uplifting softly. I couldn’t tell you the last time I was nervous around a woman, and at the age of 42, I began thinking it never would happen again, which I came to terms with. I knew that I would spend forever alone and I came to terms with it. But here in front of me was this perfect human being, whose smile made my heart race and her touch brought me to my knees. She sparked so many emotions deep in my chest that I didn’t even realize I had access to anymore.

I had a plan for everything, I had to, it was my job. Every room or restaurant we went into, I had to know not one or two, but three different ways of getting her + myself out of there. I always carried a “go” bag that consisted of the essential items I would need to leave the country with Peyton. My job wasn’t just protecting her, it was getting her to London at all costs necessary.

I kept hearing all these noises last night in the hotel room, of course it was because I wasn’t used to being around all these people and so deep in the city since I left London. Anyways, I kept getting out of bed and checking on her, watching her as she slept, the reality of the situation becoming clear: I was beginning to care for her so deeply, and in more ways than one, that I was going to have to get her out of here sooner than even she thought.

I sat down at the back of the classroom and took the accordion file out of my ruck sack as quietly as I could. I took out a map of the Southeast United States and began pinpointing coordinates that was sent to me from my office in London, all while getting lost in Peyton’s voice.

*****

After Peyton’s last session of the day, we decided to take a walk around the gardens on campus, so I could talk to her about a few things outside of four walls.

"I need to talk to you, Peyton. Here, sit," I motioned to a bench beside the bridge and sat down beside her, the slight breeze catching her hair, and the sweet smell of orange blossoms intoxicated my mind.

"What's going on, Richard? I know between all the phone calls you've had with London and my father, you’re working on something.” She inquired, leaning up against the metal backing of the bench, a soft smile on her perfect lips.

“You know that I can’t tell you that.”

“Then what do you need to talk to me about?”

I laid my arm across the back of the bench. “When we get back to DC, I’m going to need you to start packing. I’ve already arranged for boxes to be delivered to your house.”

“Okay.” She responded, tension building in her voice.

“Pack everything you’ll need for when you’re in London. Clothes, shoes, pictures, whatever you’re going to want over there. I’ll get you more boxes if you need them, but it doesn’t matter how much you pack, alright? The boxes will be placed on a shipping container that will go through the embassy, so its delivery will be quicker.” I knew she was confused and had questions, and I silently wished that I could tell her everything I knew, but that wasn’t an option.

I laid a hand on her shoulder. “Peyton, are you alright?”

She nodded slowly, her mind still racing. “Yeah,”

“Peyton, I know you’re not alright,”

She turned towards me quickly. “Well its not like I can talk to you about it, so what does it matter?”

I sighed deeply. “Peyton, I know you have questions, and I know that you know that I can’t answer them. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep everything inside. I’m sorry I can’t tell you anything, but it’s for your protection, okay? There’s circumstances around you that can’t be ignored, and we have to take each threat as if it were the truth.” I searched her face for any kind of emotion I could try and diagnose, yet her dark Wayfarer’s reflected my sight.

“Peyton,” I pleaded, laying my hands on either side of her head, pressing my forehead to hers gently. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re with me, you’re safe.”

“So that’s why you’re really here, then,” She murmured.

“Yes,” I responded, and sensing her hesitation, I added, “But I kissed you because I have feelings for you, Peyton.” My lips brushed against hers lightly.

“I know,” She whimpered, my lips still against hers, a soft moan escaping from her chest.

I broke the kiss and chuckled.

“Oh, shut up,” She murmured, standing up from the bench, throwing her leather messenger bag across her torso.

“There’s that sassy attitude I can’t get enough of.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||nine||**

**june 9, continued**

**{POV: Peyton}**

I traced my finger along Richard's bearded jaw line as I laid beside him on the bed, enjoying this rare moment of peace and tranquility. He was sleeping so soundly that I hated to wake him, yet I knew that it was getting late and would end up feeling miserable if we slept any later. I bit my lip in anticipation as he sighed deeply and his eyelids fluttered open slowly.

"Is this a dream," He mumbled, a smile curling onto his lips.

"Is what a dream?" I responded, my eyebrows furrowing.

He smirked. "Waking up next to you."

I smiled at him. "You're even sweet when you wake up."

He took ahold of my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. "Ah, take note, sweetheart."

"I'll do my best." I laughed.

He stretched out onto his back and yawned. "I could sleep for a few more hours if you're up to it."

"No, then you'll never want to get out of bed."

He chuckled. "You're right." He turned back over onto his side. "Are you hungry? It's about time for dinner, I'm assuming."

"There's an amazing Italian restaurant down the street. They only use fresh and organic ingredients; I cannot resist it when I'm in town."

Richard smiled at me and laid his right hand on the side of my face. "Sounds wonderful," He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I enjoy spending time with you, Peyton."

"I'm glad. You're going to be doing a lot of it, so get comfortable."

He laughed. "I’ll do my best. Why don’t you go and get in the shower? I’m starved.”

*****

I entered the bathroom and dimmed the lights to where I was almost in complete darkness. I had always loved the dark - from an early age I was never afraid of it, I embraced it, welcomed it with open arms. It was comforting.

After spending all morning and afternoon in the old buildings at Duke, without any air conditioner, my sweat glands were working overtime and I needed to be refreshed immediately. I stepped into the glass encased shower and turned it on, stepping back out to peel off my clothes.

Every time Richard looked at me, touched me, kissed me; I was on fire. His lips fit my own perfectly, and his tongue always seemed to find mine and stroke it at just the right spot. I hadn’t been touched by a man for so long, I was beginning to think that the only thing that would be inside me again was my own vibrator.

_Hmm, I wonder if I should pack them too…_

I pressed my hands against the edge of the counter and looked at myself in the mirror; my long blond waves fell down past my shoulders, the sharp curve of my waist turning my torso into an almost perfect hourglass shape. I was fit in all the right places and buxom in places where it mattered. I walked back into the shower, steam radiating from the heat of the water, the semi-cold tiles soothing the bottoms of my feet. The two rainfall shower heads pelted my body with droplets, the temperature just perfect. I held out my hands and closed my eyes, trying to push the thoughts eating away in my mind.

_When were we leaving? I couldn’t forget my straightener, I hated having curly hair all the time. What about all my books? And my chargers, don’t I have to have a special plug?_

I let out a small, exasperated sigh and shook my head. All these questions and thoughts were too much right now. I wish I had a way to clear everything out of my mind and start with a blank slate, not letting everything bother me, not having to have a plan for every single aspect of my life.

_I just want a normal life._

I took the soap in my hands and began rubbing it all over, attempting to scrub the salty sweat from my body; the click of the door handle jarred my concentration, and through the darkness I could see Richard’s outline, walking towards the corner. I took my loofah in my hands and continued soaping my legs, the thought of him watching me making it almost unbearable to deal with.

He stepped into the shower behind me, his right hand grasping onto my hip, pulling me towards his sculpted bare chest. He wrapped his left arm across my chest, inches from my breasts, and I was silently begging for him to take me right there, but I knew he wouldn’t.

“Are you okay, Peyton?” He whispered, his lips practically on top of my ear.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back onto his chest. “I’ll be fine,” I replied, my voice low, barely echoing off the tiled walls.

“I know I can’t answer your questions or tell you what’s going on.” He planted his lips softly on my earlobe, the mere action sending a chill down my spine.

I bit my lip and tried to hold in the moan burrowing in my chest. “I said I’ll be fine, Richard,”

His lips trailed to my jawline, his left hand coming to my chin and lifting it softly, his lips finally landing on mine. “I know you’ll be fine, but right now, are you okay?” He inquired, breaking the kiss, yet his lips still on mine.

“Yes,” I replied, his right hand sliding down across my abdomen. “I’m okay, just, questions,” I moaned as his fingertips dipped lower on my torso.

“I know, I’ll do my best, Peyton, I just need you stable,” He said, his lips moving to the sensitive area of skin underneath my jaw.

“I’ll be fine, Richard,” I pleaded, his fingertips grazing the skin where my thigh met my hip, my breath shallow.

_I hated to be teased, especially when I needed it so bad._

"You know you can still talk to me about what's going on, right? I may not be able to answer your questions but I can certainly listen to you if you need it.” He whispered, his lips on the nape of my neck. His hands were so close to my center and it was beyond torture.

I bit my lip, holding back commands of what he could really do with those hands rather than teasing me relentlessly. “I know, Richard.” I closed my eyes tightly, trying to throw the images of his fingers deep inside me, his lips on my neck, his thumb…

“Are you hungry, Peyton?”

I opened my eyes, the mixed answers of what I was really hungry for fighting for the chance to speak.

“Uh, hungry?” I repeated, my chest practically heaving from the shallow breaths I could barely take.

“For dinner,”

“Ah, yes, dinner, Italian, food…” I trailed off, his left hand falling to my chest.

He cupped my breast gently and rolled my nipple between his thumb and index finger. I moaned softly, his touch instantly provoking a pull to my stomach. “I believe we’re going to need sustenance before the night is over…”

*****

I pushed the plate of ravioli away from me and wiped my mouth with the napkin in my lap. “See,” I began, staring over at Richard in front of me, “I told you it’s delicious.”

“I should just learn to never doubt you,” He chuckled, taking the glass of wine in his hand and finishing it off.

The waitress came over to the small, round table. “Would you like some more wine?”

“Please,” Richard replied, his eyes locked with mine.

She turned towards me. “Would you like some desert?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Do you still have the chocolate ganache macaroons?”

“Yes! I’ll bring you some out in just a few minutes, and refill your wine.”

Richard shook his head. “And I thought you were in a hurry to get back to the hotel room.”

I gasped. “Me? Why would you think a thing like that!”

“Because you have a lot on your shoulders right now, Peyton; and not to mention everything that’s going on in your mind. We both need to explore one another, release some tension. Don’t you agree?”

I was taken aback by his sudden, yet truthful, outburst. I looked over at him and smirked, his perfectly blue eyes sparkling. I started to respond but was interrupted. The waitress came back and refilled our wine glasses and sat the plate of beautiful macaroons down in front of me. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“I’m going to need a shot of whiskey. Two, actually, and Jack if you have it.” She laughed and nodded. “I’ll get that for you right now.”

Richard glanced over at me questioningly. “I have a hard time letting loose and breaking out of my shell, Richard. I can’t always say what's on my mind and tell you what I want, unless I have a push.”

“Let your inhibitions down, sweetheart, whatever it takes. I’ll wait for you.” He winked at me as the waitress came back with both shots of whiskey.

I took one and drank it entirely. I looked over at Richard and smiled. “I don’t have any underwear on.” I admitted, my voice low, yet enunciated enough for him to understand me.

He raised his eyebrows. “And you’re just telling me this now?!”

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, taking the other shot of whiskey.

Richard grabbed the attention of the waitress, retrieved a box for the macaroons and paid for dinner. "Shall we grab a bottle of wine for the night?"

"So you can kiss me again?" I replied, standing up from my chair.

He chuckled. "I enjoy fine wine, Peyton. It has nothing to do with kissing you, because I'll do that anytime and anywhere. Gladly." He laid his hand gently on my lower back and we walked out of the restaurant, the whiskey slowly starting to take effect on my motions.

"And what happens when we get to London?" I let the words slip out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.

"Nothing will change unless you want it to, Peyton." He stopped walking and turned towards me. "We will have that conversation when we get back to London. But for now, let's leave it at this. We're both attracted to one another in more ways than one. You're beautiful, intelligent, caring, funny... You're almost perfect, in my opinion."

"Almost?" I repeated, my lips curling into a smirk.

Richard smiled and wrapped his hands around my biceps. "No ones perfect, sweetheart. But you're pretty damn close."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut. PURE SMUT! This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||ten||**

**june 9, continued**

Peyton followed Richard into the hotel room, the fresh, cool air hitting their faces instantly. He sat the unopened bottle of wine down on the coffee table and began to take off his leather jacket. Peyton stood behind him and laid her hands on the collar of the light coat and pulled it off of him, throwing it on the edge of the couch.

He turned around slowly and placed his hands on her hips, his fingertips running along the silk material of her dress until they reached the small of her back, where he pulled her towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips came crashing onto hers, where she was ready and willing for every inch of him.

Richard guided her to the wall behind them where he pinned her against it, his hands planted on her hips firmly. Peyton dropped her hands from his neck down to the collar of his shirt, where her fingers gripped the vneck material and pulled him even closer to her. He moaned against her lips, his right hand falling to the hem of her dress where his fingertips trailed from her thigh to her hip.

“Tell me how you like it,” His voice vibrated against her jaw and down her neck. His left hand reached up and brushed the delicate strap from her shoulder, allowing more of her supple skin to be exposed.

“Fast and hard,” She responded, a moan escaping from her lips as he bit the nape of her neck.

“I took you for soft and sensual,” He admitted, his right hand falling closer to her center, making her pleading moans more frequent.

She chuckled. “That has a time and a place.” She let her right hand fall down the front of his shirt and rested on the buckle of his leather belt, where she clinched it tightly.

“I’m also guessing you like to give orders,” His lips landed on hers once again, and a moan ensued as his fingertips grazed her folds.

“Like I said, there’s a time and a place. Sometimes I like to give orders. Sometimes I don’t. But don’t you dare think that you can tell me what to do.” She let her fingers undo his belt and the top of his jeans, where she was able to slide her hand in between his warm skin and soft cotton boxer shorts.

Richard laughed. “I’ll remember that.” He slid one finger into her warm center and she took in a deep breath. “My, you are dripping wet, Miss Morrow.”

“You see what you do to me, Armitage?” She whimpered, her hand wrapping around his almost too large cock.

Richard slid another finger into her, curling them both up in order to find that certain sweet spot.

“Oh, fuck!” She moaned as he continued to hit the spot, his lips trailing the side of her neck.

He took his hand from her. “I need to taste you,” He moaned, his lips crashing onto hers, his tongue wrapping around her own.

“Then take me, Richard.”

He followed her to the bed, where he stood in front of the nightstand and took the Glock out of his shoulder holster. He proceeded to take off the holster, his shoes, socks, and his shirt and climbed onto the middle of the bed, where Peyton was waiting patiently.

She eyed his taut body and not too hairy chest, biting her lip in response. She reached out to him and trailed her hand from his shoulder down to his jeans.

“You’re wearing entirely too much clothing,” He said, his hands grabbing the hem of her dress and pulling it up over her head.

Peyton leaned back onto her hands and smirked. “So are you.”

“We’ll get to me later,” He instructed, his hands roaming over her torso, taking the purple satin bra into his hands and unhooking the clasps at ease. He threw the bra over the side of the bed and took a breast into his mouth, his tongue rolling over her nipple, making her throw her head back and moan with ecstasy.

Richard continued kissing down her chest and torso, stopping at her abdomen. He took her thighs into his hands and pulled her down the bed, where she let her arms fall behind her. She watched Richard, her eyes sparkling as his gaze was intent on her and her alone.

"You're breathtakingly beautiful, Peyton Morrow."

A light blush encroached on her cheeks. She raised her hand and set it on his cheek softly, her fingertips caressing the smooth skin.

"I don't believe enough people have told you how beautiful you really are." Richard leaned forward and kissed her lips. He pulled away after a few seconds and brought his lips to her abdomen, his hands traveling up her thighs. The inevitable pull in her stomach was tight as she awaited his next move.

He slid one of his fingers deep into her center and pulled his head back in order to watch her reaction. He slid another one in as she dropped her hand to the edge of the bed and grasped onto the white duvet. He licked his lips, his eyes intent on Peyton. Her reaction, her movements, her sounds. He wanted to experience every detail possible regarding her and her intimacy.

Peyton's back arched as Richard curled his fingers to hit that sweet spot he found just moments ago. He wanted to make her moan, scream, beg for release, plead for his cock and his alone.

Richard bent down, his lips trailing that sensitive skin where her thigh met her hip, making her back arch yet again. With his free hand he laid it on her hip and pressed her to the bed, his intentions clear. His tongue was a welcoming surprise. He traced it all along her folds, all while continuing to press his fingers into her, deeper and deeper with each passing movement. The prickles of his beard brushed against her thighs and she squealed.

"Oh fuck..." She trailed off, his tongue circling her sensitive bud. Once his tongue found her clit and his lips entrapped it, sucking on it gently, his teeth barely grazing the responsive bud, she cried out his name. "Richard," She pleaded, her other hand finding the top of his head and grabbing a fistful of his hair. "Make me come."

He slid a third finger into her and she yelped, the sensation growing heavy on her center. His tongue encircled her clit, his fingers moving at such a pace, she couldn't take it anymore. The grip on his hair tightened and he knew she was close.

"Richard," She moaned, her breaths heavy, the ecstasy beginning to take effect. With one last deep motion of his fingers, she burst. Richard rode out her orgasm with his fingers slowly sliding out of her, yet his tongue still licked over her folds. He couldn't get enough of her taste.

He climbed on top of her, her body still reeling from the rush of adrenaline and pleasure, and he leaned down and kissed her lips. "You taste sickeningly sweet," He murmured, laying a kiss on her jawline below her ear.

Peyton smirked. "I know," She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face to hers, kissing him passionately, enjoying her own taste.

It drove Richard insane.

Peyton's hands traveled down to his jeans and attempted to pull them off of his body. Richard leaned back and pulled his pants and boxers off himself.

She knew he was large, she felt him before, but this large? She began to question where it would all go.

Richard crawled back over her, but she closed her thighs right. "Um," She mustered, her eyebrows raising. "Don't you think you should put a condom on?"

"Aren't you on birth control?" He inquired, leaning his face to hers, his lips brushing the tip of her nose.

"So now that you've seen all my health records, you know I'm clean and am on birth control?!"

Richard chuckled. "Yes, I knew that Peyton."

"But what about you? I don't know if you have some funky UK std."

"I don't. I have to get checked every 6 months for a physical, because if my job. If I wasn't clean they wouldn't have sent me."

Peyton rolled her eyes. "How do I know you're not lying to me?"

"Because I would never lie to you, Peyton. Never."

Peyton sighed and pulled him close, laying a kiss on his lips. "I guess I have to believe you, huh?"

He slid his hand to her thigh and opened her legs up, his fingertips brushing over her folds softly. "Still dripping wet, Peyton. You haven't had enough yet?"

"Oh, dear. We're just getting started." Her blue eyes sparkled up at him as he took his rock hard cock in his hands. She tilted her hips up and with one fluid motion, he slowly thrusted into her, taking the time for her to adjust to his cock. Peyton threw her head back and moaned, the thought of him only halfway in her was such a tease.

"Patience, my dear," Richard whispered, his hands tight on her hips. She moved her hips slowly from side to side, her walls adjusting to his size, and finally, he thrusted his entirety into her wet center. She leaned her head back and bit her bottom lip, the feeling of him filling her up completely exactly what they both needed.

Richard continued thrusting into her, their bodies adjusting to one another, enjoying one another as deeply and as pleasurable as possible.

When she knew she was ready, Peyton put her hand on Richards chest. "Get on your back," She commanded.

Richard smiled enthusiastically and pulled Peyton to him, where he spun around and landed on his back with Peyton sitting on top of him eagerly. She began to thrust her hips from front to back and side to side, her eyes on Richards, enjoying this moment between the two. He grabbed onto her hips and forced himself deeper into her center, moans escaping from both of their chests.

"Oh, fuck, Peyton," Richard moaned, his breathing becoming heavier by the minute. Richards hand found her clit and began working it slowly. She leaned her head back, her hips moving at a quicker pace, the need to come over Richard’s cock more pertinent than before. He took his other hand and grabbed Peyton's ass, his fingernails digging into her soft, sensitive skin.

"Harder," She moaned, needing to feel him harder and deeper in her body.

"You want harder," Richard muttered, sitting up and turning Peyton over onto her stomach. He pulled her hips towards his pulsating cock and thrusted deep into her. Peyton adjusted her hips and her knees in an effort for Richard to get as deep as possible.

"Yes," She moaned, grabbing onto the comforter in front of her. Richards cock filled her deeper and deeper with each thrust, slamming his hips into her ass, making her scream with each passing thrust. She moved her hand to her abdomen and began stroking her clit with her fingers, strumming the sensitive bud in motion with Richards cock.

"Don't stop," She demanded, feeling the heat pool in her center.

"I need to feel you come, Peyton," Richard demanded, his voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Harder,"

Richard obeyed, thrusting into her harder, his hands on her hips for the right amount of friction. The second wave of ecstasy washed over Peyton, the pleasure radiating through her body. The spasms of her tight walls clenched around Richard, and in one smooth motion, he came inside her. His grip loosened on her hips and he pulled her up towards him so her back was resting on his chest.

Richard wrapped his arms around her, their breaths still heavy, sweat glistening from their overworked and pleasured bodies. He laid his lips on her neck and kissed her softly.

"Shall we take a shower?" He offered, his breath still ragged.

Peyton raised her eyebrows. "Is that code for round two?"

*****


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||eleven||**

**june 22**

Peyton stood in the middle of her master suite, scanning the walls, mentally going through all dressers and closets to make sure she packed everything necessary for her move to London. Of course she couldn’t pack EVERYTHING she wanted to, but she did her best and took the sentimental items that meant the most to her.

The details were still a mystery. She had stopped pestering Richard after their trip to Duke, knowing it did no good. He couldn’t answer her questions or tell her anything she needed to know, so why bother? She was incredibly skilled at keeping everything - memories, thoughts, the truth - inside, that it was no extra burden to carry.

Stepping into her bare closet, she began to rethink her decision.

_Did I make the right decision?_

_What if this doesn’t work out?_

_When will I see my family again?_

The question of why Peyton was heading to Duke with Richard in a few days was weighing heavily on her already spinning mind. She would be no longer employed with the government, so why did she need to continue to attend lectures through her alma mater? She was sure that London wouldn’t approve; after all, she was theirs now.

Peyton opened a few drawers in her closet, retrieving some pajamas and comfortable clothes she had forgotten about and threw them into an empty bag on the dresser. Richard had instructed her to have a bag ready while they were travelling, with contents to last from 2-3 weeks, so she figured this would be the easiest way to construct it. She didn’t ask questions, of course, which surprised him, but then again he had no idea what was going on in her mind.

“Peyton,” She turned towards the voice behind her and smiled at Richard’s tall frame. “It’s almost noon.”

She sighed. Her exit interview, which she was not looking forward to.

“Remember,” He stated, walking behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “get copies of every single piece of paper that you sign. I don’t care what it is, we need to have record of it in case something happens.” His lips brushed against her temple and he kissed the smooth skin softly.

“Alright,” She leaned into him in an effort to feel as close as possible.

Richard knew that she wasn’t okay, yet there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t tell her that once they left Duke in a few days, they would be travelling to Mexico to get her out of the country as quickly as possible. Her passport had already been flagged by her own government; meaning she couldn’t leave the country legally.

With thanks to a few dirty government officials, he was able to secure fake passports and licenses for the both of them to at least get through Mexico. He knew she was strong enough to get through these next three weeks, but it was her life in London that he was worried about. _What if this would be too much for her?_

He squeezed her tightly. “I wish I could go with you, but you know I can’t.”

“I know,” She replied, turning around in his arms. “But you are coming back, right?”

Richard smiled at her and grasped her head in his hands. “Yes. Your government pulled my visa, which means I have to leave the country. I’ll pack, go to the airport and get my ticket, get on the plane. I’ll meet with the other guy from London, switch places, and Parker is going to pick me up from a back gate and drive me to your fathers condo in Durham, where I’ll be waiting for you.”

Peyton nodded. “What if-”

Richard laid his index finger on her lips. “They won’t. Trust me. You’ll be fine, Peyton, I promise. And if they do take you somewhere, remember, you have an untraceable GPS sensor in your arm. I’ll find you.”

Peyton glanced down at the tiny scar on her right wrist and his hands fell to her hips.

“You’ll go to your exit interview, and as soon as you’re done, get in your car and drive down to Durham. They know that’s where you are headed and that Duke is expecting you to give lectures. I also know that they are going to drive down and sit in your lectures on Thursday, so when they mention that piece of information during your interview, don’t get worried, okay?”

“Why do they want to sit in my lectures?” Peyton inquired, furrowing her eyebrows together.

Richard’s fingertips massaged tiny circles into her hips. “Because they need to know where you’re going after. At least, they THINK they need to know.” His lips curled up into a smirk.

“Am I really going to be giving lectures, Richard?” Her voice was flat, stern, exhausted, curious.

He hesitated. “No.”

*****

Richard pulled his backpack from the trunk of the cab and headed into the busy airport, pulling his black baseball cap further down his forehead. He checked into his flight and stashed his ticket in the front inside pocket of his leather jacket, strolling through security with ease.

He stopped at the bar and bought a few drinks, two bourbons. This was the start of a long trek and would be the last peace and quiet he would receive for quite awhile so he took the opportunity to be at one with his thoughts.

Glancing at his watch, he had 10 minutes until first class could board. His mind traveled to Peyton, hoping her exit interview went as smoothly as they rehearsed. _God, she was good. Too good, almost._ She could remember every single word and motion he told her she needed to have, as well as turning her emotional state on and off, like the flip of a switch.

He used to question why London wanted her so bad, but slowly realized that she was the perfect piece to their puzzle. They would use her strengths and weaknesses for the good of the country, and in turn, not use them against her like the United States is doing now.

The loudspeaker above the bar he was sitting at came on, announcing the pre-boarding to his flight. Immediately, he stood and took the remainder of the bourbon to his lips, the tangy nectar flowing down his throat and through his body. He grabbed the backpack from beside of him and headed to his gate, where he was quickly granted access.

Richard found his seat in the first class area and placed the bag from his back into the overhead compartment.

“Excuse me,” He motioned to the flight attendant. “The restroom?”

She pointed to the first class lounge. “There’s the restroom located for first class patrons only, available in the lounge.”

“Ah, no, I kind of have a ritual you see,” He winked at her. “Is it possible to use the one in the very back?”

She smiled at him widely. “Oh, of course, please. You have a few minutes before coach begins to board.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

Richard made his way to the back of the large aircraft and knocked lightly, three times, on the occupied bathroom door. The door opened and he stepped in quickly, locking it back behind him.

“Richard, it’s good to see you.”

Richard nodded. “You too, mate.”

He took the ticket stub from his jacket and handed it to one of his trainees, Landon.

On first glance, Landon looked exactly like Richard. Dark hair, beard, blue eyes, same build and height. Their clothes were exact, including the hats, in order to maintain the story that Richard, in fact, flew back home to London.

Landon took the bag from the floor and handed it to him. “Everything is in here. Passports, licenses, cash, mobiles. There are two glocks in the bottom pocket, and three boxes of ammunition.”

Richard put the bag on his back and nodded. “Thanks, Landon. There’s a backpack in the compartment above your seat. There are a few books and magazines in the front pocket. The rest is just toiletries and a few sets of clothes, sorry to disappoint.”

Landon shrugged and looked at his ticket. “The hatch to get underneath the plane,”

“I know where it is. You better get back out there, Landon. I’ll see you in London.”

Landon opened the door and headed back up towards first class while Richard waited behind the door. Once the last flight attendant left the back service area to assist with coach boarding, he slid out of the tiny room and made his way around the airplane and found the hatch with no problem.

The only issue was getting out from the plane without being noticed, although the task sounded more difficult than it actually was. After researching and watching first hand, he noticed that the baggage handlers and operations teams were not as careful as he thought they would be.

Slowly, he made his way through the cargo hold and off the ramp, careful as to not attract any unwanted attention. He didn’t understand how people didn’t notice things anymore - they were so involved in their own little world that they failed to see anything that wasn’t routine.

Once he reached the private hangars, he stepped outside of the chain link fence and found Parker’s new car - an exact replica of Peyton’s LR4 white Land Rover.

“So I take it everything went as planned?” Parker inquired as he drove off the lot.

Richard chuckled, pulling a laptop from the backpack. “Of course. It was a lot more easy than I thought it would be.” He began pulling up the GPS tracker in Peyton’s arm.

“Is she still at Quantico?”

“Yes.” He closed the laptop and took a piece of paper from the front pocket of the backpack - map coordinates. “Now the fun part begins.”

*****

Peyton took the stack of papers from her supervisors hand. “Thank you, Janice.” She began to thumb through the copies, counting the papers to make sure they matched up correctly with the number she signed.

“You’re welcome, Peyton. I’m sad to see you go, but I know you’ll excel wherever you go.” Janice smiled at her supportively, knowing the words coming out of her mouth were lies. “And you’ve turned in everything? Passes, keys?” She checked the sheet from HR, making sure she had nothing of governmental property left in her hands.

“I did. All tests are done, everything is signed, and I have no governmental property in my possession.”

“Wonderful.” Janice stood from her desk and shook Peyton’s hand. “Remember. If you turn your back on this country, we will kill you. And Major-General Armitage won’t always be around to protect you.” She smiled at Peyton and dropped her hand.

The chill that ran down Peyton’s back stopped her in her tracks. “I’ll remember that, Janice. I’m sure I’ll see you again in the future.” She turned on her heels and stepped out of the office, thankfully she was above ground and just seconds from her car.

Peyton flew through the West gates and headed South towards North Carolina, the heat continuing to rise in her chest. She might have been out of Quantico, but she knew they could harm her wherever she was, whether she lived in the US or not.

She followed the specific directions that Richard gave her, maintaining her speed under the limit in order to avoid getting stopped by any law enforcement officers. They had already flagged her passport, and their next step was coming. Although she didn’t know what it is, she was positive Richard did.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||twelve||**

**june 22, continued**

Richard and Parker pulled into the parking garage at the Franklin Hotel later that evening and parked next to Peyton’s SUV. Richard opened the drivers side door to her vehicle and retrieved the key to her hotel room and the SUV, all while making sure nothing was out of place. Parker opened the back hatch and began transferring bags from between the two vehicles.

“Is there anything else you need tonight, Richard?” Parker inquired as he handed Richard his backpack.

Richard took the bag from his outstretched hand. “No, I don’t think so. Thanks for the help, mate. I’ll see you in the morning.” Quickly, he made his way into the hotel and headed straight to the elevators, not stopping until he reached Peyton’s room.

The room was practically the same as the last time, which made things easier on his mind. It was completely dark, except for the soft glow of the television. He expected Peyton to be awake, as her sleeping habits the last two weeks were essentially nonexistent, so he was pleasantly surprised when he found her sprawled out in the large bed, sound asleep.

Richard laid his bag down in front of the nightstand and sighed. He had such a long day and with so much going on in his mind, he longed for the peace that she would bring when he saw her again. He leaned down over the top of her and pressed his lips to her forehead. God, she smells so sweet.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Richard stripped down and turned off the tv, leaving the room in complete darkness. He pulled the covers back on the bed and slid into the warm sheets carefully. He laid his hand on Peyton’s cheek, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. She stirred slightly and peeled open her eyes.

“I told you I would be back,” He whispered, lightly planting a kiss on her lips.

Peyton chuckled and closed her eyes. “I never doubt you, Richard.”

She curled up into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. “You need to get some sleep, Miss Morrow. Our next few weeks are going to be exhausting.”

She sighed as she answered him, her voice still laden with sleep. “I know, I know,”

Richard continued to embrace her tightly, running his hand up and down her bare back. “Oh, Peyton,” He murmured, chuckling softly.

“Oh, Richard,” She repeated, her cheek laying tight on his chest.

“You just might be the death of me.”

Peyton chuckled. “Then how will I get to London?”

*****

**june 23**

"Peyton," Richard's grip on her sleeping body loosened as he attempted to wake her, even though he hated doing so. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I let you sleep as late as I could," He whispered, his lips hovering above her earlobe.

Peyton's hand slid across his bare chest. "Just a few more minutes," She pleaded, attempting to snuggle as close as possible to him.

Richard laid his lips on her forehead and chuckled. "Okay, just a few more minutes."

As the two laid in bed, Richard being awake for over an hour, he continued holding Peyton as tight as possible, his hands grazing across her body. Her soft skin, the wild waves of her blond locks, her perfectly plump lips, the sleep still occupying her eyes... he couldn't get enough of her.

Peyton stirred. “What time is it?” She grumbled, her head still laying on Richard’s shoulder.

Richard glanced at his watch. “It’s almost 7:30.”

“Ugh. In the morning?”

Richard chuckled. “Yes, in the morning.”

“Is there coffee?” Peyton sat up.

“Not yet. We can grab some on the way to the Professor Embry’s.”

She turned towards him sharply. “So you’re not letting me out of your sight, I take it.”

He sat up beside her. “I’m not going to take that chance.” He leaned over and kissed her lips gingerly. “Now, showers.”

“Showers.” Peyton repeated, a smile spreading on her lips.

*****

After a shower that lasted longer than it should have, and of course coffee at Peyton’s persistence, the two were on their way to Professor Embry’s house in the suburbs of Durham.

“So will you tell me what I’m supposed to be doing today?”

Richard laid his hand on Peyton’s thigh and squeezed it softly. “That I can do. You’ll drop me off at the professor’s and you’ll go back to Duke where you’ll have lectures until 4pm.”

“And what will you be doing?”

Richard chuckled and squeezed her thigh again. “Getting ready for tomorrow.”

“And what’s tomorrow?”

“I’ll tell you when the time comes, Peyton. After you finish your lectures, go back to the hotel. I’ll already be there with your father and Parker.”

“My father?” She repeated, her eyebrows furrowing. “Why is my father going to be there?”

“Because, Peyton. We’re leaving and you’re going to want to tell him goodbye.”

The catch in Peyton’s throat grew larger as she came to the realization she had fought so hard to ignore. She was so caught up on getting everything together to leave for London that she didn’t even begin to think about the two people that meant the most to her - her twin and her father.

Peyton nodded her head, acknowledging Richard’s words. She didn’t have the strength or ability to respond, as her chest continued to grow tighter with each second.

“It’s going to be okay,” Richard’s voice brought her back to reality. “I’ll do everything I can, Peyton.”

“I know you will, Richard.” Her voice was meek, the anxiety lowering yet her emotions still controlling her actions.

"So," She began, but shook her head fervently, knowing he couldn't answer her questions anyways.

Richard began rubbing her thigh softly. "What's your question, Peyton."

"Don't worry about it." She responded coolly, throwing the question out of her mind.

"No, Peyton, tell me," He pleaded, his voice growing soft.

She hesitated. "When will I see them again?"

"I wish I had an answer for you, Peyton, but in all honesty, I don't even know. I'll do everything in my power to get them over to you as soon as humanly possible though, alright?"

Peyton knew that Richard was being honest with her and didn't question anything else on their ride. As soon as she stopped the car at Professor Embry's, Richard turned in his seat to face her.

"I'm sorry for bringing this up now, Peyton. But you have to realize, every action or decision that I make is based solely on your protection." He cradled her head in his hands. "I've never been through this before, Peyton, so I can't tell you that I know how you feel, and I can't even begin to imagine everything that's going on inside your mind." He kissed her softly.

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"That's why you have me, Peyton. I'm here to protect you, guide you. You know I'm always here to listen to your concerns, alright? Keeping everything inside isn't always the answer." His lips landed on hers once again.

"I'm just so used to it."

"I know. So am I." He let his hands fall to her shoulders. "You need to get going now. I can't have you being late." He winked at her.

"Being late is my specialty," she chuckled.

Richard unbuckled his seat belt and grabbed his backpack from the backseat. "I'll see you this afternoon, Peyton. Have a good time, alright?"

Peyton forced a smile. "I'll do my best."

*****

Austin and Parker Morrow came up behind Richard in the garage at Professor Embry’s.

"Good morning, Richard," Parker greeted, standing next to the dark headed man at the workbench.

"Morning. Parker, Austin."

Austin laid a hand on Richard's shoulder. "Good morning, Richard."

Richard continued to fiddle with the GPS tracker in front of him.

“Is everything still on track?” Parker inquired, leaning up against the bench, his curious mind keeping track of everything Richard was doing.

“Yes, so far,” He replied, hooking up the tracker to his laptop and making a few adjustments.

“Did I see you kissing my daughter, Richard?”

Richards fingers fell from the keyboard and looked over Austin. “You did.” He replied, his gaze meeting Austin’s.

Austin chuckled. “Honesty. I like that. Something you and Peyton both excel at.”

Richard shrugged. “It’s the only thing I know how to do.”

“Now, I don’t want to hear about how once this is over and done with, you’ve left her on the streets in London.”

“Austin, I have no intentions of ever leaving her anywhere.” And he didn’t. He didn’t want to experience life without her, and unless she asked him to, he was never going to leave her.

Austin sighed deeply. “I just want to make sure she’s going to be taken care of. You know where my concern is coming from.”

“I do. And even though I know you will, I don’t want you to worry about anything. I’m good at what I do, Austin. You have to put a little faith and trust in me.”

Austin nodded. “I know you are, Richard. Thank you for all you are doing.” He sighed and stepped away from the bench. “I’m going to get some things in the safe.”

Richard turned back to the laptop and made sure all of his calculations were correct. He unhooked the GPS tracker and sat it down next to the computer. He looked over at Parker. “How are you doing with all of this, Parker?”

Parker shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Richard scoffed. “You and Peyton are exactly alike.”

“Did you know that Peyton and I have the exact same fingerprints? Eye color? That we’re both left handed?”

Richard closed the laptop and gave his attention to Parker. “I did know that.”

“She’s my best friend, Richard. From the time we were born, we’ve grown up being so close and so connected. We know what each other is thinking, feeling, believing in at the moment without even having to speak. I don’t expect you to understand, but you need to realize that she needs someone who can give her that, and it can’t be me when we’re separated by an ocean.”

“You’re right, I don’t understand, and I’m sorry for that. But I’m trying, Parker. Whatever she needs from me, I’ll give it to her, gladly. And I’ll tell you this, exactly as I told your father moments ago; I have no intentions of ever leaving her. Unless she tells me to, of course, even then I’ll have a few objections. But you and I both know that Peyton is going to do what she feels is right.”

Parker nodded. “That’s all I ask.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||thirteen||**

**june 23, continued**

Richard walked over to the edge of the bed slowly, his gaze intent on Peyton. Tears were welled up in her eyes; she was biting her bottom lip; her cheeks were stained red with guilt and fallen salty tears. 

He took her hands and pulled her up to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. His right hand rested on the back of her head and he caressed it gently, his fingertips moving slowly through her waves. 

Her fists clenched the front of his t-shirt tightly, a light sob escaping from her chest. His embrace turned tighter as he realized he didn’t know what else to do or say. 

After a few minutes, Peyton was able to gain a little more control over her emotions. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled into his chest. 

Richard sighed. “Don’t be, Peyton, please.” He brought his left hand to her head and cradled it softly. 

“That’s the last thing you need to be saying right now, okay?” 

Peyton nodded her head in response, the guilt and heartbreak still screaming inside her chest. What could she have done differently? Is this all her fault? 

Richard leaned his forehead onto hers. “Peyton, we have to go.” 

She released her fists from the front of his shirt and he pulled away from her, where he grabbed a light cotton hooded long sleeve shirt. He pushed it over her head and down her torso, keeping the hood pulled down over her head. He kissed her lips softly. 

Peyton followed Richard towards the couch, where he handed over her rucksack backpack and leather messenger bag. “Is this it?” 

“Everything else is in the car,” Richard nodded, picking up his backpack. “We have to get out of here, Peyton.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door and to the elevator. 

“So I take it we’re in a hurry,” Peyton exclaimed as Richard pushed the button for the parking garage. 

Richard chuckled. “Peyton, we’ll always be in a hurry,” They made their way to the SUV and Richard opened the back door, putting their backpacks and messenger bags in the back seat. He sat in the drivers seat and Peyton raised her eyebrows as she sat on the passengers side. 

“Um,” She started, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“Yes, Peyton, I’m driving.” Richard stated matter of factly, pushing the on button to start the car. 

“But, can you drive?” 

“Yes, I can drive. I drive all the time,” He took his cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. 

“And you do realize we drive on the right side of the road, right?” 

“No, really?” Richard cut her eyes towards her. “Just trust me, Peyton.” 

“I have a hard time relinquishing control, you know this.” 

Richard winked at her. “Oh, I’m aware.” 

“What am I doing with your phone anyway?” 

Richard pulled out of the parking garage and headed west, towards the mountains. “A message will come up in the next few minutes with some coordinates. Open the gps and track those coordinates.” 

“Ohh,” Peyton murmured a few minutes later, “we’re heading to Murphy! I love the mountains.” 

“I know you do. There’s a cabin, deep in the Smokies. My contacts in London secured it for a few nights.” 

Peyton looked over at him. “A few nights? Is that so?” 

“Yeah. There’s a few things we need to discuss, plan, get together. We’ll be safe, don’t you worry.” 

“Oh, Richard. I never worry when I’m with you.” 

Richard took her hand and pressed his lips against her palm. “That’s what I like to hear, Miss Morrow.” He brought her hand to his thigh and laid it there gently. “Does this mean that you’re going to be my navigator?” 

Peyton raised her eyebrows. “Your navigator? Does that mean that I tell you what to do?” She smirked. 

“Yes, that’s exactly what it means.” Richard chuckled. 

“Then I’d love to.” Peyton looked over at Richard, the dark of the night surrounding them, yet the soft glow of the dash illuminated his face. “Does it also mean I can snoop through your phone?” 

“There’s not much to snoop for, I'm afraid.” 

“Well, damn. I was hoping your plan would be on here somewhere.” 

Richard laughed. “No, my dear. It’s all up here,” His index finger tapped his temple and brought his hand back down to hers, still on his thigh. 

“No texts from girlfriends?” 

Richard shook his head. “Texts from an ex-wife, which I think is more troublesome than a girlfriend.” 

Peyton laughed. “Probably. But I wouldn’t know…” She trailed off, looking through his phone to find out more about him. “Most people wouldn’t let you go through their phone, you know.” She placed it on the center console between them. 

“Well, I have nothing to hide, Peyton.” 

“So, then, why did you get divorced?” 

Richard sighed heavily. “Well, it’s a long story. I loved her, I really did. I thought that I wanted a wife, children someday. But my job got in the way and I realized I loved it more than her. She resented me for it, wanted me to get out, find a normal job so that I wouldn’t have to leave all the time. But I just couldn’t. We tried to make it work, but she just wouldn’t support what I did.” 

“And you did nothing wrong?” 

“Of course I did. I shouldn’t have married her, as it wasn’t fair. But, in my defense, she did keep telling me that she’d support me because she knew that I loved what I do.” 

“Loved?” Peyton furrowed her eyebrows. 

“Hmm?” Richard turned towards her. 

“You said loved. Past tense. Loved what you do.” 

“I’m getting tired, and old, Peyton. I can’t keep doing this forever.” 

Peyton leaned her head back on the head rest and looked over at Richard. “And then what will you do?” 

Richard shrugged, turning his eyes back to the road. “I’m not sure yet.” He squeezed her hand tightly. 

“I didn’t mean to make you feel like it was your fault, you know. It’s just sometimes, we fail to see the flaws in ourselves.” Peyton continued her gaze on his face, watching for any reaction or emotion. 

Richard brought her hand to his lips again and kissed it softly. “Why don’t you get some sleep, Peyton. We won’t get there until after 4am.”

“I can’t sleep.” Her words were simple, her eyes still studying his near perfect face. 

He smiled over at her. “I’m not going to leave you, Peyton.” 

She sighed heavily. “I know; it’s a flaw. I worry.” 

He glanced over at her. “I know, Peyton. We all have flaws. That’s what makes us human.” 

*****

Richard was right - it was close to 5am once they arrived to the cabin. After the security checks and getting the bags unloaded from the vehicle, Peyton made her way upstairs. 

“So that’s where you ran off to,” Richard whispered as walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. 

The view was breathtaking - perched on the side of a mountain, the one bedroom cabin looked out onto the majestic Great Smoky Mountains. 

“Do you want to watch the sunrise?” Richard inquired, his lips landing on her temple. 

Peyton smiled. “Please.” 

Richard grabbed a blanket from the trunk at the end of the bed and took Peyton’s hand, leading her downstairs and out the back porch, where there was a hammock in the corner. They snuggled into it slowly, wrapping a blanket around them. 

Peyton laid her head on Richards chest, the rhythmic beating of his heart lulling her worries and laid her right hand on the nape of his neck, her fingertips caressing his supple skin. 

“I could get used to this,” He whispered, letting his hand fall to her hip. 

Peyton chuckled. “Is this the calm before the storm?” 

“Yes. You need to get some rest while you can, sweetheart.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||fourteen||**

**june 24**

Peyton sighed heavily. “So, you mean, I’m a target?” She repeated, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Yes,” Richard nodded, sitting across from her at the kitchen table.

“As in, a danger TO the US or FOR the US?”

“Both. The knowledge that you have makes you a threat as well as dangerous. To themselves, for other countries.”

Peyton leaned her head back. “So that’s why you have to destroy everything that proves who I really am?”

“Yes. If someone finds you with this,” He held up a stack of important documents - her passport, birth certificate, social security cards, debit cards, “they will turn you in because your name is on a watch list.” He sat the documents in the metal trashcan and pulled a lighter from his pocket, sliding a few new documents over to her.

“So, I’m no longer Peyton Morrow.”

“No, you’re still Peyton Morrow. They just can’t know that you’re Peyton Morrow.” He moved the trashcan to the sink and struck the lighter, letting the flame run across the documents.

“A UK passport? But I’m not British, and they’re going to know that. I don’t believe they have southern drawls like I have in the UK.” She took the maroon passport and held it in her hands.

“Where we’re going, they’re not going to notice, nor care.”

“And where are we going?” She inquired, tracing her fingers across the new passport.

“Mexico.”

“Mexico,” She repeated, opening the passport to reveal her new, but temporary, identity. “I can live with that.”

Richard chuckled. “I knew it would be easier getting you to Mexico rather than Canada.” He nodded to the remainder of the paperwork in front of her. “That is your temporary identity. I know with your mind, you’ll only need a few minutes to memorize.”

Peyton laughed. “Canada?” Her eyes trailed the paper now in her hands: new name, DOB, occupation… all relatively easy information to remember.

“We’ve sent all your official documents to our headquarters, so don’t worry about replacing any of this.” Richard motioned to the flames coming from the small metal basket.

“They’re not going to send me back, are they? Once we get to London?” Peyton inquired, turning the paper over to read more stats about who she was to become.

“Absolutely not. If they had that intention, they wouldn’t be coordinating all of this to get you out of your own country.” Richard walked over to her and grabbed the papers from her hands. “Are you done?”

Peyton nodded. “Yes.”

Richard placed the papers in the flames and turned back to Peyton. “The UK will be your home now, Peyton. You’ll have an official passport, identification. Since you’re working for the government it will be easier for you to become an actual citizen, but that conversation can be saved for a later time.”

“So do you do this a lot?” Peyton inquired, turning her attention back to Richard.

“Do what a lot?”

“This. Go to foreign countries and be all secretive.” She pulled her legs underneath her.

Richard chuckled. “Not as much as I used to. Before I was divorced, I was going places six, seven times a year. Mexico, Bosnia, Iraq, Russia. It was exhausting. I was in Africa 6 months ago, was back for a few months, then I received your file from my highest CO, and I really couldn’t say no.”

“Well who can say no to their CO?”

“I can. I can choose what missions I go on, but once I opened your file and did more research on you, I knew I couldn’t say no.” Richard turned the faucet on and let the water run over the flames in the trashcan.

Peyton leaned her head up against the back of the chair and looked over at him. “Why?”

“Once I opened your file, read your stats on who you are, watched the videos of your interviews, learned about who you are… you did something to me.”

“You watched my interviews?!” She exclaimed, a smirk settling on her lips.

“I had to. That southern drawl, the way your eyes always sparkled, that sassy and overly confident attitude.”

“Richard, stop obsessing over me, jeeze.”

He chuckled. “Peyton, I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve had many women in my life, before and after my wife. But none of them tested my patience, turned me on, made my knees go weak, like you do.”

“Why wouldn’t you kiss me? Before?”

“I was terrified that you wouldn’t want me to. I remember when we were on the metro, bringing Parker his wallet. And you were standing there, looking up at me, your lips begging for me to kiss you. I couldn’t hear anything around me because my heart was pumping so loud, my palms were sweaty. I felt as if I were 13 and about to kiss a girl for the very first time. I don’t always see things the way I need to see them, Peyton. I’m not romantic, I don’t think about the future, I don’t kiss you when I know I should. But I’ll try my damndest to make sure that you are always taken care of.”

Peyton smiled and walked over to him.

“Even though I know you don’t need to be taken care of,” He smirked at her.

“You’re damned right.”

*****

Richard jolted awake, his heart pounded inside his chest, frantically searching the bed for Peyton. When he found her sound asleep next to him, the terror lifted, but the memories still haunted him incessantly.

The nightmare was unforgettable; Richard and Peyton were in the cabin when they were found by the US government, who in turn shot Peyton in the chest and turned the firearm towards Richard. He knew that they would never find them, but was beginning to question the security of where they were at after a dream like that.

He pushed the covers back and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his breathing still heavy, the sweat still soaking his body and not to mention the sheets. Her screams, her cries, her pleads for him; he tried to push the horrid sounds from his mind, yet never in his life had he felt so incredibly helpless.

Peyton stirred, and seeing him hunched over on the edge of the bed, she sat up quickly. “Richard,” She whispered, moving closer to him so she could wrap her arms around him. “Are you okay?” She placed her lips on his bare shoulder.

Richard sighed heavily, attempting to settle his jagged breaths. “I’m fine, Peyton, go back to sleep.”

"Richard," Peyton sighed, laying her cheek on his back.

"I had a nightmare," He admitted, his voice low. "It was terrifying." He gripped her forearms tightly.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, her eyes heavy with sleep. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Richard chuckled. "No, Peyton, you need to go back to sleep, get some rest." He turned and kissed her lips gently. "Please."

Peyton laid back down on the bed, pulling the covers up over her chest. "Aren't you going to lay down with me?" She inquired, snuggling her cheek further into the pillow.

"No, I can't sleep. I need to call London." He laid his hand on her head, his thumb caressing over her forehead. "Just sleep, Peyton."

Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep. Richard sat up from the bed and pulled the covers over her again, running his hand over the outline of her back. He pulled on a pair of pants and a t-shirt, grabbing his phone from the bedside table.

He sat in the chair in the corner of the room and dialed the number so familiar.

"Armitage. I've been expecting your call."

"Colonel Stewart."

"Richard, I hate to jump right into business, but we've gotten word that the government is on thin ice. Does Peyton know?"

Richard sighed. "No, since we left I've tried to hide all news reports."

"Which is why you wanted the cabin. Good choice, Richard."

"It wasn't a matter of choice but knowledge, Stewart."

"The timeline to get to Mexico has been cut short, Richard. Everyone will be flocking towards the borders once the Americans realize what's really going on. I'll send you coordinates to get to Laredo in just a few minutes. I'm sure you're anxious to get on the road if you called me at this hour."

Richard's eyes trailed to Peyton, sleeping so soundly in the bed, he hated to wake her. "Are we stopping for the night anywhere?"

"Yes. The farm out in New Orleans. You remember it, don't you? It's where you first trained Landon."

Richard chuckled. "I do remember."

"Get there as quick as possible. You'll switch cars, get some rest, and then head to Laredo."

"Do I get to choose what car?"

Colonel Stewart laughed on the other end of the line. "Yes, Richard. Your pick."

"Wonderful. I'll look for the coordinates and we'll be on our way."

"Richard," He started, hesitation in his voice. "Are you and Peyton..." He trailed off.

Richard sighed, running his fingers along his jawline. "Yes."

Colonel Stewart drew a deep breath on the other end. "I'll draw up the paperwork and put it in both of your files, alright?"

"Thank you, Stewart. I'll call when we get to New Orleans."

Richard hung up the phone and dropped it in the pocket of his pants, leaning back in the chair and once again, watching Peyton sleep soundly in the bed. He waited a few more minutes before gathering up their bags and placing them in the car.

He walked through each of the rooms, making sure he nothing was left or out of the ordinary, waiting until the last minute possible to wake Peyton. He walked back up the stairway to the master bedroom, where he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Peyton," He whispered, combing her locks out of her face. "We need to leave."

Peyton groaned and sat up in the bed reluctantly. "Okay," She mumbled, her eyes still shut tight with sleep.

Richard chuckled and placed a kiss on her lips gingerly. "You know how much I hate waking you, Peyton, but we really have to go."

She leaned her head back and groaned. "Ughhhh, okay, I just need some clothes."

Richard handed her a stack of clothes he picked from her bag.

"You really are in a hurry, aren't you?" She pulled back the covers and took the clothes from him.

"Yes," He started, watching as she peeled herself out of the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "You can sleep in the car. Just hurry." He slapped her on the ass.

"Richard that's just going to slow me down," She turned and smirked at him.

Richard chuckled. "Bathroom. Now."


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||fifteen||**

**june 25**

Peyton continued to wring her hands together as she stared out the passenger side window, struggling with processing the emotions running through her body.

"Peyton," Richard started, turning down the radio, "what's wrong."

"Everything's just sort of... catching up to me."

Richard took ahold of her hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Peyton hesitated. "I... don't know."

"It's okay, Peyton. Talking about your emotions doesn't make you weak. Just human." He squeezed her hand supportively.

"I'm aware. I just don't want to think about it, you know? Leaving my father and my brother." She laid her other hand on top of Richards, her fingertips massaging the skin softly.

"What about your mother? How do you feel about that situation?"

Peyton sighed heavily. "The last time I saw her, she barely spoke to me. Told me I wasn't making the right decision. But that's the way it always is with her, I should have never expected anything different."

“She’s your mother, Peyton. You deserve better. And to expect something different, greater, is only natural.”

She nodded slowly, her eyesight falling on the highway in front of her. “What about your mother?”

“My mother is wonderful. Always supported me, always told me when I was making the wrong decision, always told me to think about a situation more than once.” Richard looked over at her and smiled.

“I just keep thinking about what I did to make her so angry? Furthering my education? Becoming successful? I have no idea. One would think they would proud of their child, but what do I know.”

“I’m sure, deep down, she is proud of you, Peyton. But when someone has something in their head that they want to believe, it’s hard to get them to think of anything else. Maybe this time away will help her to see that.”

Peyton nodded her head slowly. “I’m starving,” She turned and looked at Richard. “How much longer?”

“We’ll be in the city in about 20 minutes, so we can stop then. Unless you cannot wait any longer.”

She chuckled. “I’m fine.”

“You say those words too often.” He murmured, stealing a glance at her.

“Sometimes it’s just easier,” She sighed, returning his gaze.

“Are you ever going to open up, Peyt?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Eventually.”

*****

Richard gazed out across the water, the umbrella from the table shading himself and Peyton. “You know, I don’t normally do this,” He started, his hands gesturing towards her.

Peyton raised her eyebrows. “Do what?” She chuckled and took a bite of lemon grilled shrimp.

He sighed, hesitating his words. “Fall for someone while on a mission. Specifically, my mission.”

“Falling for?” She repeated, setting her fork down on her plate. “Is that so, Richard?”

“I don’t know if falling for was the correct word usage or not,” He stuttered, taking a drink of his water. “Is it hot out here, or,”

Peyton laughed. “Richard. Yes it’s hot, we’re in Louisiana. And I believe you meant what you said.”

“I just don’t want you to think that I kiss every woman I come in contact with.”

“I know you don’t, Richard.” She stated, picking up her fork and taking another bite of shrimp. “You’ve told me this before. I don’t know why its so heavy on your mind - I wish I could reassure you in some way that I believe you.”

“Trust is a difficult thing, isn’t it?” He murmured, taking another drink of water.

She nodded. “It is.” She crossed her arms across her chest and laid her elbows on the table. “None of us are perfect, Richard. I have a list of things, a mile long, that I wish I could change about myself, but I know that I can’t. So I take from that and apply it to the things I do in the future. I try to, at least. Not work as much, attempt to have a good time, be more open.”

Richard nodded, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket. “Trust me, there’s not a lot that you need to change about yourself,” He murmured, reading the message on the screen. He looked over at her and shoved the phone back in his pocket. “We have to go.”

“What? Why? Can I finish,” She furrowed her brows as he leaned across the table.

“No. We’re being followed. Landon just confirmed it.” He took some cash out of his pocket and laid it on top of the bill.

Peyton sighed, pushing the plate of food away from her. What did they even want with her anyways? She was tired of being left in the dark, not knowing what’s surrounding HER future. Why couldn’t people just be honest instead of hiding in a bed of lies?

She draped her messenger bag over her torso and stood up from the metal chair, taking Richards outstretched hand. She followed him slowly through the restaurant and out the front doors, making their way in the opposite direction of the car.

Richard pulled her down a busy side street and leaned her up against the brick wall. “It’s not going to be as simple as I’d hoped to get to where we’re going now. By foot or swim.”

Peyton raised her eyebrows. “I’m not swimming.”

“I know,” Richard kissed her on the lips, his voice sympathetic. “You were thrown off your fathers sailboat and almost drowned when you were five.”

“Whoah,” Peyton laid a hand on his chest, pushing him away. “So you really know about every little detail that’s gone on in my life, don’t you? The past thirty years that I’ve been alive, you’re aware of every mishap, every fortune, every accident?”

He sighed heavily. “I had to, Peyton. If we were in a situation like this, I had to know the best way to get you out safely.”

“Why won’t you just shut up and let me tell you things? Instead of telling me that you know about something traumatic that happened to me as a child, why won’t you just let me tell you? My God, Richard, don’t you understand? You know everything about me, and I know nothing about who you are. Just that you’ve been sent here, to,”

A tall, dark headed man interrupted the two with a tap to Richard’s shoulder. “Armitage!”

Peyton pursed her lips tightly, the doubts in her mind began to grow stronger and stronger. Maybe he was just using her. Maybe he really didn’t care about her. Maybe she was just a mission. What did she really know about this man? Absolutely nothing.

The two men continued to speak, in code, she presumed, as people continued to walk by them on the street. She had never in her life been a follower - she did what she felt was right, taking on the path that no one wanted to take because it was too difficult and she knew she had the chance to overcome it.

And what was she doing now? Following. Because it was her only option, and she hated every minute of it. She knew it was for the better, the benefit, her safety… but she still had the right to hate it, as it was the only thing she felt as if she could control at this very minute.

Landon took hold of Peyton’s right wrist and grabbed the Nike plus watch on her arm. “This has the coordinates to where you’ll be going.” He plugged the small, usb contraption into the watch and downloaded the location. “You’re in good hands.” He winked at her, turning his attention back to Richard.

Richard took the backpack from Landon’s back. “I got this from your car before I took all your bags out. Switched them to mine so they’ll be waiting for you when you get there.”

“Thanks, Landon.” Richard took the messenger bag from Peyton’s torso and gave it to Landon. “Take this back with you too.”

Landon patted Peyton’s shoulder and left as quickly as he arrived.

“Shall we?” Peyton attempted to start walking South, the direction they needed to be heading in, yet Richards hand grasped her arm and pushed her back to the wall.

He brought his hands to her head and cupped it gently, bringing his lips to hers in a deep, passionate kiss. Peyton’s hands traveled to his chest and pulled away from the kiss slowly.

“You have a lot to learn, Armitage.”

Richard chuckled. “I know I do.” He tore her away from their place on the side of the building, latching his hand to hers. “South, right?”

She nodded. “Over the river.”

They headed towards St. Charles Ave, out of the city, and stopped at Audubon Park. Richard sat on the park bench, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.

“It’s only been five miles, Richard. You shouldn’t be this tired yet.” Peyton wiped her thumb across his forehead gently.

“It’s a lot warmer than what I’m used to, okay? We are in Louisiana, as you said before.” He brought his head between his knees, attempting to gain a little more control over his breaths.

“We don’t have to run, you know. We could walk, if that suits you better.”

Richard chuckled. “We don’t have too much farther.” He took ahold of Peyton’s arm and studied her watch. “Once we get to the river, and Landon says that it's clear, we’re going to take a boat to where we’re going. We’ll shower, rest, get the information and the car, and head to Laredo, where we’ll get over the border immediately. Then it will all slow down.”

“Is that a promise?” She smiled over at him softly.

“Yes, Peyton. That’s a promise.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||sixteen||**

**june 25, continued**

"Richard, what's wrong?" Peyton inquired, a sigh escaping her lips. She walked towards him, her footsteps echoing off of the walls of the abandoned warehouse.

Richard shook his head and leaned up against the black Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. "Something just doesn't feel right." He crossed his arms across his chest, furrowing his eyebrows tightly.

"Do you want to wait to leave?" She slid up onto the metal table across from the SUV, attempting to read his face and body language.

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze catching hers. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" She repeated, a smirk curling onto her lips.

"I can't explain it; I just know that something doesn't feel right. Everything is set to go, but it's just eerily quiet out there." He ran his hand along his jawline and down his neck. "They followed us into New Orleans. It doesn't make sense for them to just stop looking."

"Unless that's what they want you to think." Richard cocked his head towards her, his eyes narrowing. "I like the way you're thinking, Miss Morrow."

Peyton raised her eyebrows. "You must be quiet, Armitage. That's not my name." She winked at him.

"We should have been on the road before now; we need to stop and get fuel before we get out of Louisiana." Richard walked over to her and placed his hands on either side of her legs on the table, leaning down and placing his lips on hers.

"Mmm," Peyton trailed her hands from his forearms to his shoulders, pushing him away gently. "Save that for when we're out of danger."

Richard chuckled. "Let's get out of here, sweetheart. We've a long way to go."

*****

Richard pulled into the gas station wearily, his eyes trailing the deserted parking lot, looking for any sign of vulnerability. He stopped at a pump and turned towards Peyton, curled up in the front seat with her nose in her ipad.

"What are you reading?"

"Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn." She replied, closing the cover of the e-reader. "Are you going to let me go inside? I'm dying for a Dr. Pepper."

He chuckled, his gaze still intent on roaming the area around them. "If that’s what you want.”

“So why aren’t you getting out of the car?” She slid the ipad onto the dash and turned towards him.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. “I don’t know. Maybe we should go somewhere else.” He stroked his beard, letting his hand fall to his neck.

“Well judging by the GPS, the next gas station is too far away, so this is kind of our last opportunity. The last three we stopped at would have been fine, Richard.”

He let his eyes fall towards Peyton and shrugged. “I know. Go inside, get your Dr Pepper.” He turned to get out of the car, his hesitation visible.

Peyton shook her head. She knew that something was bothering Richard and her mind continued to spin as she thought of all the terrible things that could happen. But let’s be honest, it was midnight and no one was out on the road, so what did they have to worry about? They've made it this far without any issues, why would this particular gas station be the one they were found at?

Richard opened her door. “Come. In and out.” He took her hand and led her into the store, where she was able to finally get her Dr. Pepper. She curled back up in the passenger seat while Richard finished fueling the SUV, his eyes continuing to roam the empty streets, his sensations on high alert.

As soon as he screwed the cap back on the gas tank, his eyes shot to the vehicle approaching on the street beside them. The black Tahoe drove past them slowly, the two men sitting in the front of the vehicle had their eyes on him the moment he became visible.

The fear gripped Richard in the chest, knocking the breath from his lungs. He knew they were government, he knew they were looking for Peyton, he knew he had to do something, yet his mind was blank.

He slid into the drivers seat slowly, running his hands across the steering wheel. He gripped the leather tightly. “Get down.” His voice was stern as he started the vehicle.

Peyton furrowed her eyebrows, not knowing about the events that were surrounding them slowly.

Richard brought his right hand and gripped the back of her head tightly, pushing it down into her lap. “Stay down.”

He pursed his lips tightly, his mind reeling with the different directions and steps he could take. They had to get to Laredo, unharmed, and in a certain time frame. The last thing he wanted to have was a confrontation - they would call for back up, they would know what kind of car they’re in, they would figure out where they were headed.

“What's going on, Richard,” Peyton inquired, her voice muffled.

Richard sighed. “We’re being followed and I just need you to stay down.” He shifted the Jeep into drive and started out of the gas station slowly, his gaze intent on the rear view mirror. He watched helplessly as the SUV made a U-turn behind them and caught up to their vehicle, trailing them closely.

He took his cell phone from the center console and called Landon through the Bluetooth.

“Richard.”

“Landon. We have company. I’m going to need you to track me.”

Peyton shut her eyes tightly, the anxiety of the events surrounding them finally caught up to her. She attempted to shut out all of the negative thoughts that plagued her mind, but the suspense was killing her. She had no idea what was going on, if she could just see…

She attempted to lift her head, yet his hand pushed her back down. “Peyton, I’m serious.”

“We got you, Richard.” Landon’s voice boomed through the speakers.

Richard sighed. “Can you get into the traffic lights?”

“Yes. In now.”

“Immediately, I’m going to need you to change all the stoplights once I get through them. I need to get through Grosse Tete and on to Interstate 10. Check the scanners, if they try to call in anything, skew it. I want no information to get through, do you understand me, Landon?”

“Understood. We’re scanning the stations now. We’re tracking the SUV, it is government official, two deputies from the FBI.”

“I’m going to need some help to get out of here. They’re on my ass and it’s only a matter of time.”

“Max your speed to 38 mph. You’ll get through the next light.”

Richard complied, his speed topping 40 mph. “Turn right on the next street. It’s going to take you to the I-10E ramp. You'll need to lead them away from where you're really headed.”

The tension was hanging thick throughout the Jeep - Peyton still unaware of the danger that they were in; Richard, for once, was having difficulty deciding on his next move. He kept his eyes on the black SUV behind him; taunting him, tempting him.

“We’ve skewed their call-ins, Richard. Disabled their phones and the GPS. They have no idea what's going on.” Landon chuckled; his work always was interesting.

“Well, I’m still being followed, Landon, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“There’s no police around, you’re good to go.”

Richard pulled Peyton’s head back up. “Put your seatbelt on.” He increased his speed, pulling onto I-10 eastbound quickly.

“How many vehicles ahead?”

“In a 10 mile radius? One, 2 miles ahead. 20 mile radius? Zero.”

Peyton glanced in the side mirror, the dark SUV following them obviously. Her heart rate increased, wanting to ask questions, voice her concern, yet she knew now was not the time.

A government vehicle, trailing behind them, plotting their every detail. She heard Landon say that they had disabled their phones, but what if they had another way of communication? The inability to control the situation was weighing heavy on her chest. Of course she knew that she had zero experience in this type of situation, but she craved to lead - control - take charge.

She opened her mouth to speak, yet no words could be produced. Richard muted the call from a button on the steering wheel. “Peyton, it’s going to be alright.” His voice was smooth, calm, serene. “Just relax.”

Relax. This man, who knew everything about anything, was telling her to relax. The man driving at a speed of over 120 mph, attempting to flee from a government vehicle, because they were looking for her… was telling HER to relax.

Peyton was terrified. The risk of an accident. The risk of her being taken. The risk of her being hurt, or even worse, Richard being hurt.

Richard continued to increase his speed, the SUV roaring behind them, inching to get closer to their vehicle.

“What are they going to do?” She whispered, her eyes trailing from the speedometer to the side mirror. Richard sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

He unmuted the call. “Landon, tell me what to do.”

“You’re not going to get away from them, I’m afraid. Sending their vehicle into the back of yours is only going to make matters worse, you know that.”

Richards eyes focused on the rear view mirror. “Sneak attack.”

"Wait until mile 10. Then, you're a go."

He turned to Peyton, muting the call once again. "Take the wheel."

Her eyes turned wide as her hand traveled towards the steering wheel, gripping it tightly. The white lines in the middle of the road were a blur. One wrong movement, one swerve, one vehicle… all would have been a deadly effect.

Richard took the glock from the back of her seat and loaded it, laying the pistol in his lap. He took something else - a small, round, heavy disc from his rucksack and sat it beside the gun. He took the wheel from Peyton, catching her gaze.

The speed was thrilling; however the danger behind them was not. Their speech was at a standstill - nothing needed to be said as the situation they found themselves in was conversation enough. It was too close. Too dangerous. Too much.

Richard unmuted the call. “We’re coming up on mile 11."

“The car behind you got off on an exit; it has to be now, we can’t waste anymore time.”

Richard swerved into the left lane and rolled down his window, maintaining his gaze on the vehicle behind them. He took the black disc from his lap and held onto it tightly. “Take the wheel, Peyton.”

She reached over yet again, her hand gripping the leather tightly. She maintained her eye contact on the desolate road in front of them, as well as Richard, who was partly hanging out of the window. He threw the disc towards the government SUV, where it rolled and landed with a loud thud on the road.

He took the steering wheel from Peyton and watched in the rearview behind them. Instinctively, the SUV slid over into the right lane. Instead of pressing on the brakes, Richard let off on the gas. “Get down.”

Once again, Peyton obeyed and brought her forehead to her knees, relinquishing any control she had left in the situation, which was zero. She felt helpless.

As the government SUV passed their Jeep, Richard clipped the drivers side quarter panel and watched as the driver attempted to control the swaying vehicle. The attempt was unsuccessful as he watched it swerve in front of them.

He pressed on the brakes gently, his speed slowing at an auspicious rate to avoid any contact with the accident unfolding before his eyes. The vehicle rolled three times before coming to a rest, upside down, on the shoulder of the Interstate.

Richard cleared his throat. “It’s done.”

“We’re on our way. Continue your course, we’ll take care of it from here.”

He ended the call and laid his right hand on Peyton’s head. She sat back up, her eyes trailing the floor of the Jeep. “It’s okay, Peyton.”

She nodded her head slowly, propping her elbow on the door panel armrest. “I’m tired,” She murmured, laying her head in her hand.

He pulled the Jeep into the median of the highway, making a U-turn in order to travel west, and grabbed a blanket from the backseat. “Get some rest, Peyton. You’re going to need it.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence occurs in this chapter - just a heads up! This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||seventeen||**

**june 26**

"Why are there so many people here?" Peyton inquired, eyeing the large amount of traffic in front of the US/Mexico border patrol station.

Richard turned his head slowly towards the passenger seat. "I haven't heard your voice in over eight hours."

She chuckled softly.

"Well," He started, his gaze following hers, "a lot of people are fleeing to Mexico for better opportunities since the government is shutting down."

"It's ironic, isn't it," She murmured, leaning her head back against the headrest.

"It is." He responded, his gaze settling on Peyton's face. She was solemn, quiet, apathetic, detached; and they were only three days into it.

"So will this be the last time I'm in the US?"

He sighed. “For a while.”

She turned towards him sharply. “Don’t lie to me, Richard.”

“Yes. This will be the last time you’re in the US.”

Nodding slowly, she met his eyes. “So I’ll never be able to come back?”

“Not for a very long time.”

“Where is my father? And Parker?”

Richard lowered his head, gripping the steering wheel tightly in his hands. “Currently, they’re being questioned to your whereabouts.”

"Because they drove my car back to DC?"

"And because they're your immediate family." He stretched out his arm and laid his hand on the back of her headrest.

Peyton turned towards him in her seat. “I don’t understand what happened.”

“Peyton, they were planning to take you from the time you turned in your resignation. They needed your knowledge and education when this country falls apart, because they knew you could help rebuild the medical aspect. When I was called in to escort you back, I knew I had to get you out of there sooner than they ever thought possible, and thank God you realized something was wrong, because I didn’t want to have to be the one to tell you that you were leaving early.”

She nodded, understandingly, and he continued.

“After making sure everything was set - your belongings, bank accounts, important documents - we scheduled you for another seminar at Duke, right after you left Quantico. We knew that they wouldn’t take you then because it was a scheduled public event - if you didn’t show, they would’ve had to answer for themselves, which in turn, wouldn’t have been good on their part. While you were at your first session, Parker and I traded vehicles, so it would seem that you were driving back to DC when in actuality, it was them.”

“So then how did they find us in New Orleans?”

“Well. That I’m still not sure on. We weren’t followed from North Carolina, that I’m sure of. I think, in all honesty, it was a coincidence. If we really had been followed, it wouldn’t have been by two rookie FBI investigators.”

“And so what now?” She inquired, her eyes traveling to her hands, splayed in her lap.

“We’re heading to Tampico.” He glanced at his watch. “If we can get through here shortly, it’s only about 8 and a half hours away.”

“You need to get some rest.” She murmured, his hand falling from the headrest to her shoulder, where he squeezed it gently.

“I will. In Tampico. Landon will meet us there, we’ll stay for a few days, and then hit the road once again.”

"When are we going to get to England?"

"I know you're anxious Peyton,"

"Stop trying to sugar coat things for me and just fucking tell me. What else am I going to do? Complain? Run away?"

He sighed. "We won't get to London until the middle of August.”

“August?” She repeated, her eyebrows raised.

“Yes. It’s a lot of traveling, and since we can’t fly, our options are limited. It's either drive or by boat, we have to get across the Atlantic somehow.”

She nodded. “Why are we staying a few days in Tampico?”

“We decided to leave, by boat, for Jamaica at Tampico rather than Belize. It’s getting more dangerous to drive and I feel more comfortable having you on a yacht than in a vehicle, really. So we need a few days to make sure we have everything we need, get the boat ready. Don’t worry, Peyt. It’s a large yacht, the military confiscated it from an Italian senate member awhile back. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

"Just don't make me swim," She muttered, chuckling softly.

"I'd never." He dropped his hand, threading his fingers into hers.

"Do you trust me Peyton?"

She turned towards him, her brows furrowed. "Yes,"

"Good. Because I'm going to need you to remember that over the next few days."

*****

**june 26**

Peyton walked out of the rest area slowly, thankful to be out of the car after all of their traveling over the last few days. The warm breeze floated around her and she inhaled the air heavily, letting the breath fill her lungs completely. She headed towards the Jeep and realized Richard wasn’t where she had left him.

She decided to walk around the small cement building, her eyes scanning the barren, desolate landscape around her. _Surely he’s around somewhere._ The sound of footsteps behind her caught her attention, and the smile faded from her lips as she realized by the shadow being cast, it wasn’t Richard.

“Doctor Morrow, we’ve been looking for you.” The voice was heavy and deep, sending a chill down her spine.

She spun around, attempting to focus on the mysterious face behind the sunglasses. She knew he was government, and she knew she was in trouble, but she had no idea what to do. Run? Follow him? Deny everything? Her mind wasn’t designed to process this type of situation.

He drew his gun as Richard came up behind him slowly.

“Stop right there, Major-General Armitage.” He pointed the handgun at Peyton. “I’m fully prepared to take her out, Armitage.”

Richard stopped, his gun already drawn and pointed at the government agent.

_So this is what they’ve been avoiding..._

Peyton’s gaze focused on the commotion in front of her; the world around her moving in slow motion, the noise turned to silence. Her hand fell to her abdomen as the pain seared through her like a dull iron blade. The government agent fell to his knees as the shot tore through his chest, blood splattering across the sidewalk and the front of Peyton’s clothes. She removed her left hand from her abdomen and gasped in horror as the blood seeped through her tshirt. She stared at her hand helplessly, watching as her blood dripped from her fingertips and down onto the ground.

Richard called out her name, yet she struggled to find his presence. The medical training she had learned briefly was telling her to put pressure on the wound, but she didn't even know where the blood was coming from. Her knees hit the pavement in haste. Richard appeared before her, pressing his hand firmly into her abdomen.

"Peyton, don't panic,"

She struggled to keep her focus, as his face turned into two. _‘I’ve been shot.’_

"Peyton," He warned, his tone sour. "Focus on me, my voice," He planted his other hand on the side of her face, cradling her head. "You're going to be fine." She glanced down at her abdomen as he balled up a t-shirt he pulled from the Jeep and pressed it to her tightly. She cried out as the pain became too much to bear and the loss of blood making her life grow weaker.

The black Tahoe pulled up beside them and stopped quickly with Landon getting out of the drivers seat and David following suit from the passenger side. They ran towards the two people on the sidewalk.

"Landon," Richard instructed, his grip on Peyton never ceasing. "How far away are we from the hospital?"

"Five minutes. We need to get her there now."

“David, take care of this. Drive the Jeep back, get everything ready back at the house.” Richard commanded, his focus relaying to Peyton once again. "Peyton, I need you to listen to me. Look at me!" He gripped the side of her face tightly. "We're taking you to the hospital. Before we get there I have to give you some medicine. It's going to make you feel terrible before it does anything good. Just trust me, okay?”

She nodded her head slowly, the slight movement threatening her blood flow.

“Landon, let’s go.” Richard picked her up and laid her in the back of the Tahoe, kneeling over her and placing pressure on the gun shot wound. He took a blanket from the back of the SUV and covered her tightly in order to prevent shock for as long as possible.

“Two minutes away.”

Richard grabbed a bag from the floorboard of the back seat and took out a syringe. “Peyton,” He started, taking the cap off the needle. “This is going to hurt.”

She whimpered, the searing pain consuming every part of her body, the will to fight growing dimmer.

“It’s going to stop your heart. Fight, Peyton, with everything you have.” He plunged the syringe into her arm, pushing the white liquid into her body.

Landon pulled up into the emergency shelter and Richard pulled Peyton out of the back seat where he carried her into the small waiting room.

“Please,” He pleaded, her body turning limp in his arms, “she’s been shot and I’ve lost her heartbeat.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||eighteen||**

**june 26, continued**

Richard leaned up against the cool glass of the operating room theater and took the documents from Landon’s outstretched hand.

“Everything’s all there,” Landon remarked, nodding towards the file folder. “I’d hate to be the one to have to tell her about all this when she wakes up,”

Richard nodded, eyeing the documents: her medical chart, stats, and lastly, her death certificate. “Would you like to do that for me? I’m afraid she’s going to tear my head off.” He intently watched as the military surgical team operated on Peyton.

“No thank you,” He scoffed. “Do you want me to wait with you?”

“You don’t have to. We barely got her here in time, I’m sure they’re going to be awhile.”

Landon shook his head. “Alright, just call me when you’re ready. Colonel Stewart already called, I sent him the documents so they’ll be able to inform the US properly.”

Richard lowered his head. “Thanks.”

Landon laid his hand on Richard’s shoulder. “You did what you had to do, Richard. Don’t blame yourself for this, she’s going to be fine.”

“Tell that to her family.”

“And they’ll understand,”

Richard turned his head towards him. “No, they won’t understand, because they’ll think she’s dead. They can’t be told any different, you know this.”

“Richard, I’m pretty sure Parker is going to know that she’s not dead. They’re twins, they’re more aware of each other than you can imagine.”

“Yeah,” He began, sighing heavily. “that’s what I’m afraid of.”

*****

**june 28**

The wooden chair creaked under Richards weight as he leaned his back into it, resting his hands on his thighs. He turned towards his right as the door to the upstairs room swung open quietly.

“Richard, it’s late.” The petite, salt and peppered haired older woman handed him a cup of tea.

“Thanks, mum.” He brought the porcelain cup to his lips gently and took a small sip.

Alice sat on the edge of the twin size bed in front of him, pulling the light blanket down from Peyton’s chest and rested it on her hips. She moved the cotton tank top to allow her to check the surgical incisions and stitches located on her abdomen. “Why don’t you go get some rest, sweetheart? You’ve had a long few days.”

Setting the tea cup down on the table beside the bed, he shook his head firmly. “No, I’ll be fine.”

She cut her eyes towards him as she took the jar of salve from the table. “And your mother is telling you to go get some rest.” She removed the bandages from Peyton’s torso and began spreading the salve on thick. “She’ll be fine, she lost a lot of blood, the surgeon had to repair a few organs, and other than that, she’ll be just as new. So stop your worrying.”

“I just don’t want her to wake up and not know where she is,” He mumbled, leaning his elbows onto his thighs and resting his head in his hands.

Alice pulled two syringes from the drawer on the table. “Morphine and antibiotics. She’s going to be out for awhile.”

Richard nodded. “Alright,” Exasperated, he brought his hands to his knees and stood up. He knew there was no arguing with the woman who brought him into this world.

She injected the syringes into the IV on the back of Peyton’s right hand and looked up at him. “I’ve never seen you this concerned over someone before.”

He shrugged casually. “She’s been through a lot.” His eyes remained focus on her abdomen, mentally taking note regarding her wounds and surgery.

Alice wrapped Peyton’s wounds and stood from the bed. “She’ll be up in the morning. Now come with me, you need food, and a good night's rest.”

Richard followed her down to the kitchen, where she turned and embraced him tightly. “I feel as if I haven’t seen you in ages.”

He chuckled. “I know the feeling.” He rubbed her back softly as she pulled away and went to the fridge. “I would love some homemade macaroni and cheese.” He smiled at her as she turned and looked at him.

“I used to make that for you as a boy, many years ago.”

“I remember. I’ve been craving it for the longest time.”

Alice went to the pantry and found the items she needed, setting them on the countertop by the stove. “I had quite a phone call the other day.”

Richard raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yes. Martha called me, asking about you.”

He scoffed. _Of course._ “What did she want?”

“If you were back yet or not. Apparently she’s tried to contact you…”

“Well, I’ve been a tad pre-occupied.”

“Yes,” she replied, a soft smile on her lips, “with a beautiful blond upstairs.”

He smirked. “Yes. And sassy; enjoys questioning my words; rebelling against my wishes. She’s stubborn as a mule.”

“I think she wants to be with you. Again.” Alice rolled her eyes, stirring the bubbling pot on the stove.

“That’s never going to happen,” He mumbled, crossing his arms across his chest firmly. “She wants me when I’m away, but when I’m back, she wants nothing to do with me. Enjoys having me but only at a distance.”

“I’ve told you from the beginning she didn’t deserve you.” She pointed a finger at him sternly. “So don’t even think about going back.”

“Why would I when I have,” He stopped himself short and shook his head.

His mother raised her eyebrows. “When you have what, Richard?”

He furrowed his brows. “Uh, nothing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Does Colonel Stewart know?”

Richard shrugged.

“I know what’s going on, Richard. How you look at her, touch her. Does he know?”

He sighed heavily, dropping his arms from his chest. “Yes, he knows.”

It was quiet for a few minutes until he decided to speak again. “She was so angry at me when we stopped. As soon as we pulled into that rest area, she ran from the Jeep. Had no idea where she was going, and didn’t care. Once I was able to finally catch up to her, she was sobbing. Never would she see her family again, never would she visit the US again. And I didn’t know what to tell her, what to say to make her feel better, because I’ve never been in a situation like that, so how was I supposed to know? It just made me feel so helpless.”

“Is that why she’s angry, thinking it’s your fault?”

He chuckled. “No. It’s because I know everything about her, and she hates that I do. Rather than letting her open up and tell me something, I tell her I already know about it. Here I am, thinking I’m doing a good thing by not making her talk about it, yet,”

“You’re spouting off her life history as if you were there. Which, you weren’t, so you only know the one side. She’s trying to tell you her side, how she felt, and you’re pushing her away.” Ah, his mother. Always brutally honest. “It’s going to be very difficult for her, Richard. A tough adjustment. So I would suggest to just let her open up when she feels comfortable enough to do so. You may think you know her life story, but let her tell it to you. Please.”

Richard nodded his head slowly. "I'll try my best, mother. I just," He sat down on the barstool by the small island in the kitchen. "I just feel differently towards her than I thought I would and I'm, quite frankly, terrified."

"You're the only thing that this girl knows right now, Richard. She's going to be relying on you for everything. Are you ready for that?"

"For her? Absolutely."

*****

**june 29**

Peyton opened her eyes slowly, letting her pupils adjust to the sunlight streaming in through the windows of the room she was in. She had no idea where she was; her head was pounding; she was incredibly thirsty; and not to mention, felt as if she had a hot poker sticking through her lower abdomen.

Even when her eyes were opened fully, she strained to focus on what was in front of her. She heard voices but they were so muffled and far away she didn’t even attempt to listen to what they were saying. She raised her right hand to cover her eyes, but noticed the IV sticking out of the back of her hand. _Where am I? A hospital?_

She attempted to sit up, yet the pain in her abdomen throbbed with each breath and movement she took. A hand was laid on her shoulder, squeezing it softly. She knew it wasn’t Richard, as the grip was too small.

“It’s alright, Peyton, just relax.” The faint British accent caught her off guard. Surely they weren’t back in London, were they?

She closed her eyes tightly and attempted to regain control of her breathing, as her heart felt as if were to surely burst out of her chest at any moment. _What happened?_

“Peyton,”

She heard Richards voice to her left and turned towards him.

“Welcome back, sweetheart.”

She scrunched her nose and lifted her hand from her eyes. “Did I die,” she mumbled, her eyes slowly focusing onto his.

“Almost,” He whispered, brushing her forehead with his lips. “I was beginning to think I’d never see those beautiful eyes again.”

She scoffed. “I feel like death."

“I'm sorry.”

“Where am I,” she inquired, letting her eyelids fall back down with ease.

He sighed. “You’re in a safe house in Tampico. This is Alice, she’s been helping to take care of you.” He pointed over to the other side of the bed.

“What happened?”

He took her hand as he grew quiet, bringing it to his lips. “You were shot.” He hesitated, searching her face for any emotional break he could find.

“Shot?” She repeated, her brows furrowing. She tried to remember the previous days events, yet her mind was blank. “I don’t remember.”

"It's alright, you don't have to remember. You just need to get some rest."

She nodded. “Stay with me?”

He smiled down at her. “Of course.”

*****

**june 29, continued**

Peyton stirred at the movement on the bed and turned her head towards Alice. “What day is it,” she moaned, covering her face with her hand.

Alice chuckled. “It’s still Thursday, around eight o’clock in the evening. Are you hungry?”

She shook her head. “Not right now, but I would be extremely grateful for a bath.”

“Now that I can do. Let me change your bandages first.” She began removing and cleaning the wounds on Peyton’s abdomen.

“Those are going to be some pretty badass scars, Peyton.” Richard leaned up against the doorway in the upstairs bedroom.

“Well I’m so glad you approve.” She rolled her eyes playfully at him.

Alice began putting waterproof bandages on Peyton’s wounds and turned to Richard. “Richard, why don’t you go start a bath,”

"Already done," He smiled at her. "I had a feeling that would be your first request."

Alice rolled down Peyton's tank top and patted her abdomen lightly. "You're all set," She turned towards Richard. "Be gentle with her."

He nodded. "Always." He walked over and sat in the chair across from the bed.

"If you need anything, let me know, alright? I have some soup on the stove." Alice helped Peyton sit up. "You're going to need to eat something soon." She disconnected the IV from her hand.

Peyton nodded. "After my bath, I'll eat something, I promise."

"You're going to feel weak, so don't push yourself. If you're tired, don't hesitate to lay down. But getting some food in you is going to help." She winked at her and stood from the bed.

Peyton turned towards Richard and winced at the movement.

"Are you alright?" He moved closer to the bed, his hands falling lightly on her thighs.

"Yes, please, stop fussing over me." She sighed heavily and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Peyton, I," He started, hesitating for a moment.

"Richard, what's wrong?" She rested her hand on his cheek.

He sighed. "It's nothing. Let's get you in the bath, shall we?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Running Too Far is slowly coming to an end! There are only three more chapters left. This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||nineteen||**

**june 30**

Richard took the tomato in his hands gently, rolling it across his palm and washed it off in the kitchen sink.

“How do you know she’s going to want to eat this?” Alice inquired as she stirred the boiling pot of pasta on the stove.

He chuckled as he began dicing the fresh tomato. “Because I asked her if she would eat this and she said she would.” His gaze traveled to the ceiling as he heard the bathroom door shut upstairs, and he furrowed his brow.

“Do you want me to go check on her?” She inquired, setting the spoon on the counter.

Landon’s heavy footsteps came barreling down the stairs, interrupting their conversation. “Uh, Richard,” He began, his pace almost at a run into the kitchen.

Richard set the knife down on the cutting board and sighed heavily, walking towards the hallway. “What did you do, Landon?”

“I thought she knew,” He shrugged his shoulders, a look of dread and sorrow spreading across his face.

“You thought she knew?! What the hell were you thinking!"

“I thought you told her last night, I really did.” Landon was sincerely genuine as he tried to explain to Richard his reasoning. “I was only trying to help, I swear!”

Peyton shut the door behind her in a haste as hot, salty tears stung her cheeks relentlessly. She sat on the edge of the bathtub, her chest heaving as she failed to control her breaths. 

_No. No. No._  

This couldn’t be happening.

She gripped the edge of the porcelain bathtub tightly and lowered her head. She wanted to scream, cry, sob, run away. The pain, internally and externally, becoming too much to bear as the situation finally made its way to the surface.

The door to the bathroom opened, and before she could protest, Richard kneeled in front of her, cradling her head in his hands. Pain began to fill his chest as he realized there was nothing he could do for her - no words would do this situation justice.

“Please tell me this isn’t a dream,” She pleaded with him, tears streaming down her face. “Please tell me that I didn’t work this hard for my education, and my career, only to have it thrown away in front of me,”

"Peyton, I'm so sorry you had to find out like this," He pulled her off the edge of the bathtub and embraced her body tightly.

"All this was for nothing, then," She sobbed, covering her eyes with her hand. She buried her head in his chest, drenching his tshirt with her tears.

"No, sweetheart, you're alive, and safe, that's what matters." He cradled her head protectively, massaging his fingertips into her scalp.

She lifted her head and scrunched her nose tightly. "But I can't live Peyton Morrow's life when she's supposed to be dead,"

Richard dropped his hands to her elbows and wrapped his fingers around them protectively. "You're going to live Peyton Morrow's life because you are Peyton Morrow, we’re just going to do it a little differently."

"My family thinks I'm dead," A light sob escaped her lips as the realization hit her. _They think I'm dead._

"Peyton, I'm not a twin, so I don't know what goes on in your minds. But I'm pretty sure that Parker knows you're not dead; you two have a connection so deep I cannot even begin to fathom the intensity."

She threw her arms around his neck and molded herself into his body, light sobs and small sniffles escaping her chest and nose.

The only thing Richard knew to do was to just hold her and let her cry - which he did.

An hour had passed before her breathing had returned to normal and her sobs had disappeared. He pulled away from her, his eyes resting on her face, expecting her to be asleep, yet her bright blue eyes stared up at him.

“I thought you’d be asleep.”

She shook her head wearily. “No,”

He grazed his hand up her thigh, resting his fingertips on the hem of her navy blue vintage Duke University tshirt. “Do you remember the first time I saw you?” He whispered, bringing his lips to her ear. “You were wearing this exact shirt and you took my breath away.”

She smiled and rested her head back on his chest, closing her eyes tight as the memories came flooding back into her mind. Her perfect little house, her garden of daisies off the back porch, her family seconds away; she would never get to experience these things again.

“I remember quite vividly,” She spoke softly, her words startling him. “How long had you been standing there watching me?”

“Not long, a few minutes maybe.”

"Creeper." She scoffed, a light smile tugging on her lips.

He chuckled. "I've missed that sass,"

"Don't get used to it." She sighed heavily, her voice weak.

"Are you alright?" His arm tightened around her waist.

"Just tired." She curled up into his chest, her right hand resting on his chest lightly.

"Then let's get you to bed,"

"No," She shook her head against his shoulder. "I just want to stay here."

"Stay here? In the bathroom?"

"No, in your arms,"

He chuckled, pressing his cheek against her temple. "As you wish,"

*****

“Can I tell you something?” Richard inquired, laying next to Peyton in the tiny twin sized bed.

She smiled. “Of course.” She turned her head towards him, her blue eyes sparkling.

He rolled over onto his right side, drawing his hand up to hold his head. “Alice isn’t just a nurse for the military. She’s also my mother.”

Peyton raised her eyebrows. “Your mother?”

He nodded. “Yes. I know when we were in New Orleans you mentioned that I know everything about you, and you know nothing about me.”

“And this is you trying?” She smiled at him softly.

“Yes. This is me trying, because the last thing that I want is for you to feel alone.” He lifted his left hand from the bed and grasped hers, bringing it to his lips.

“So, Alice is your mother?” She furrowed her eyebrows tightly.

Richard chuckled. "Yes."

She let her hand fall and land on his chest. "Thank you."

"For what?" He smiled at her, unsure of her thoughts.

"For whatever you've done in the past week."

He shook his head. "Peyton, don't thank me. I feel awful, as if I've failed you. I mean look at what I let happen to you," His eyes trailed to her abdomen and back towards her eyes.

"Stop. Don't blame yourself, that's irresponsible. I'm just telling you, thank you."

He hesitated and then smiled. "You're welcome."

*****

**july 1**

Peyton sat back in the wooden adirondack chair on the deck, watching the sunset unfold before her. She wrapped the light blanket around her a little tighter, the cool ocean breeze blowing across her body.

The orange and pink hues of the sky lit up in front of her and she breathed the salty air in, enjoying the rare sense of nature she had missed deeply. The sliding glass doors opened behind her and she sighed softly.

Richard laid a hand on her shoulder. "You really should eat something, Peyton, it will help you re-energize and get healthier quicker."

"Why can't we just stay here," She sighed, tilting her head towards his hand.

"Peyton," He started, sitting on the wooden footrest in front of her. "I know this has all been confusing and scary, and you don't know what your future holds. But we can't stay here."

"I know, I just," She shook her head gently. "I don't know."

He dropped his hands to her thighs. "I wish I could be more help to you,"

She brought her gaze to his penetrating stare. "What's going to happen next?"

"We're going to get on a boat and sail to five different ports until we arrive to Spain, and from then on we'll drive until we get to England."

She nodded her head slowly.

“By the time we get you settled into your new flat in London, you’ll be ready to work again.”

“New flat?”

“Yes. Your new flat. It’s a little more spacious than the other one, it reminds me of your house in DC.”

“What about all of my stuff?”

He brought his right hand to her cheek and cupped it gently. “It’s already moved.”

“Alright.” She was quiet for a moment, silently taking in all the information he was throwing at her. “And I’ll be able to work again?”

“Yes,” His thumb caressed her jawline gently. “It’s going to be a little different, but you’ll have the same job as before.”

“But… I’m supposed to be dead.”

“That’s why I said it’s going to be a little different, Peyton. The job is… highly secretive. Meaning, no one will know what you will be doing except for yourself and your boss. That’s it. One of the great things about your new flat is that in the very bottom floor is an underground tunnel that takes you to the labs, so you won’t have to travel far at all. The building looks like a large townhome except there’s three floors. You’re on the top floor, another scientist is on the second and a systems analyst is on the first.”

She nodded slowly. “And… what about you?”

He smiled at her. “I’m wherever you want me to be, Peyton. If you want me there, I’ll stay there, and if you don’t, I understand.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m going to want you there, Richard.”

"Then I’ll be there. No questions asked.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Running Too Far is slowly coming to an end! There are only two more chapters left. This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||twenty||**

**july 3**

"How are you feeling this morning, dear?" Alice sat down a glass of orange juice in front of Peyton. "Would you like breakfast? I can cook you some eggs."

Peyton smiled softly. "I'm feeling much better, thank you. Still a little sore, but hopefully that will subside soon. Eggs sound wonderful, I'm starving." She sat down at the island in the small kitchen.

"And yes, your soreness will subside, although that will take awhile." Alice took out some eggs from the fridge and sat them next to the stove. "All that time on the boat will help you with your much needed healing. Truthfully, I was afraid that you would end up getting an infection with how the situation played out."

Peyton shrugged her shoulders. "I don't remember much. I remember coming out of the bathroom, and seeing the agent. I remember falling to my knees and Richard telling me to focus. I remember when I was in the back of the SUV and he told me that he was going to give me some medicine that would stop my heart and to fight. I barely remember waking up here."

Alice broke the eggs into a metal bowl and began to whisk them together slowly. "Well, like Richard said, the medicine that he injected you with stopped your heart, so when they brought you to the emergency room, the doctors there pronounced you dead. While in the confusion of the hospital staff, there was a medical team that extracted your body from said hospital and took you to a medical center a few minutes away. They were able to operate on you, successfully, and brought you back here to recuperate. You were out cold for the first few days."

Peyton sighed heavily. "And it was the only way?"

Alice sat the bowl down on the island and smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm not sure, dear, I can't answer that for you. But from what I know, it was a dangerous situation, and Richard made the call to the best of his knowledge. He takes his job very seriously, as you know."

"I'm aware," Peyton combed her fingers through her waves and sighed softly. "I don't blame him, you know." Her eyes met Alice's with a softening glance. "I know he thinks that I blame him for everything that's happened."

Alice poured the eggs into the sizzling cast iron skillet. "For once, he doesn't understand what someone is going through. He's seen it - done it - all; everything you can think of. But this... he doesn't know what to say, what to do. He feels responsible."

"He shouldn't. It's my fault anyways," She said, her voice lowering. "My job, my education. Sometimes I feel as if I should've listened to my mother and just studied something normal."

Alice furrowed her brows. "It's not your fault, Peyton, you didn't cause this, your - well, the US government did. They felt as if they had the right to take you into their possession because of your deep knowledge that you have regarding not only diseases, but the government. You are considered a powerful weapon, Peyton, whether you want to be or not."

"I never wanted to be. I just wanted an education, I just," She stopped her sentence as Alice handed her a plate of warm scrambled eggs. "I just don't know anymore."

"You've been through a rough ordeal, dear. You need some time to think and relax and heal. None of this is your fault, you just need to remember that, alright?" Alice sat down on the barstool across from her.

Peyton nodded her head gently and smiled. "I'll do my best."

"I know you feel like you've lost everything, Peyton, and I'm sorry I don't know what to say to reassure you of anything. But you're in good hands. My boy will take care of you regardless of what happens when you two get back to London, so at least you'll have one consistent thing in your life."

Peyton took a bite of eggs and smiled. "I've known that since the first day I met him."

*****

Richard rested his hands on the wooden rail of the balcony and leaned his weight up against it, breathing in the salty air and relishing in the burgeoning sunshine. He felt Peyton's arms wrap around his waist and he smiled.

"How did you sleep?"

He chuckled. "I hate sleeping without you. So not well. Did you enjoy your breakfast?"

"Very much so." She rested her head on his back and closed her eyes. "Will you come cuddle with me?"

He sighed. "I wish I could. I have a meeting with Landon and then we have to go into town. Get a few supplies for the trip." His voice was curt yet to the point.

Peyton took a step back in response and let her hands drop to her side. "Alright, sorry to interrupt." She rolled her eyes and turned on her heels, stepping back into the small room she had been staying in.

"Peyton," Richard sighed and turned around, following her steps. "I had to speak with," He stopped his sentence as she bent down to her bag, attempting to retrieve a change of clothes.

She grumbled in the process and held her side protectively as a breath of air hissed between her teeth.

"Peyton, are you alright, you need to be more careful." He rushed to her side and grabbed the change of clothes from her hands.

"Oh, I'm fine, Richard." She grabbed the clothes from his hands and made her way to the bathroom. "I'm tired, I just want to take a shower and change clothes." She leaned up against the counter of the sink and sighed heavily.

He made his way to the bathtub and turned on the water, checking the temperature before turning on the shower. He closed the curtain and walked back over to Peyton.

"I had to make a phone call this morning that I really didn't want to have to make, Peyton."

She shrugged her shoulders and pushed herself onto the edge of the counter. He cupped her face in his hands gently and pressed his lips to hers.

"I know its a lot," He whispered as he pulled his lips away from hers for just a moment. "But I need you to just bear with me, okay?"

She nodded her head slowly as his lips crashed back onto hers, his hands sliding down to her neck. "Okay."

"Now," He pulled away from her, taking her hands in his. "Is there anything you're going to want for the trip?"

She smiled as she slid off the counter. "Books."

He smirked. "Other than books?" He lead her to the shower, where he pulled her tank top from her torso. She shook her head no and hooked her fingers into the sides of her underwear and running shorts, pulling them down off of her legs.

Richard stared at her for a moment, a soft smile spreading on his lips. "You're so damn beautiful." He kissed her once more. "I won't be too long, alright? My mum and David will be here if you need anything. Get some rest. We'll have lunch when you wake up."

"Promise you won't be long?"

He shook his head. "I promise."

*****

Peyton brought the fish taco to her lips and bit into it. "Oh God. These are probably the most delicious thing that you have ever cooked for me, Richard."

Alice raised her eyebrows. "Cooked? So you've cooked for her more than once?"

Richard scoffed. "Of course I have!"

"He's cooked for me practically every day we were together. He's quite magnificent, if I do say so."

"Well, I'm glad someone's gotten a use out of it." Alice winked at her and smiled. "Are you going to do this for her in London too?"

"If I didn't, how will she eat?" Richard looked over at Peyton from across the table and smiled.

She rolled her eyes. "Take out, Richard. It's wonderful."

"What about when you're on the boat?" Alice inquired, taking another bite of her fish taco.

"Leslie will be here tomorrow to get everything ready. She has an amazing menu planned." Richard wiped his mouth with his napkin and pushed his plate to the center of the table.

"And why can't you do it?"

"Because someone has to take care of you, Peyton."

"I believe I can take care of myself." Peyton rolled her eyes and scoffed.

Alice shook her head and laughed lightly. "I like her."

Richard chuckled. "So do I."

*****

"Lunch was wonderful," Peyton curled up into Richard's arms in the luxury of his queen size bed.

"Mmm," He sighed, kissing her temple softly. "This is much more wonderful, Peyton,"

She chuckled. "Yes, it is," She rested her head on his chest and snuggled as close as she could to him. "So when do we leave?"

"The morning of July fifth. We'll get everything together tomorrow, so we can leave first thing."

“And then what’s going to happen? I’ll live as Kate Abbott?” Peyton sighed heavily as she muttered the name.

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about that, Peyton. When we get to London, we’ll both be debriefed separately. They’ll ask me to go through every action, reaction, motion that I’ve made since I’ve been in the US. And you, they’ll go over the details of your accident, what will happen, how you’ll do your job. Not much will actually change, so you’ll have that to look forward to.”

"I'm nervous. I'm afraid I'm going to get there and say the wrong thing or not remember something I'm supposed to,"

"Peyton," Richard interrupted her, turning on his side to face her. "Don't be nervous, alright? I know it's going to be scary for you, but they're going to work with you and support you as much as possible. These people are so grateful for you and what your mind can do; I think you're going to be surprised at how much they're going to help you."

She nodded her head slowly and turned towards him. "It's just going to be hard to get used to..." She trailed off, resting her hand on his chest.

He smiled and took hold of her hand. "It will be. But remember, Peyt, I'm going to be here for you no matter what."

"What about your job? Leaving all the time? I don't want to complain about what you do, but,"

"I'm not going anywhere. This mission - you - was my last. I'm getting too old for this," He chuckled, bringing her hand to his lips. "I love what I do, but, there are plenty of people younger and more capable to do this now. I'm actually looking forward to going into an office every single day and having normal hours. I'll be able to come and cook dinner for you and take you to Italy or Paris on the weekend and wake up with you in the mornings." He kissed the back of her hand and smiled at her.

"You are so wonderful to me,"

"It's because you, Peyton Morrow, make me so incredibly happy. I've never wanted to do so much for a woman before - I want to lay with you in bed at night, reading, or kissing or talking; I want to take you away and watch you witness the world for the first time; I want to keep you in bed all day long and make love to you over and over and over again."

Peyton leaned over and pressed her lips to his. "Can I get that in writing?"

He chuckled. "Absolutely."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains smut... just an FYI. :) Running Too Far is slowly coming to an end! There is only one more chapter left. This has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions! Enjoy!

**||twenty one||**

**july 5**

**tampico**

Peyton stood at the entrance to the docks, her fingers entangled in the chain link fence. She stared out towards the end of the dock, watching as Richard, Landon, David, and Leslie finished getting the yacht ready for their long voyage. The slight touch on her lower back made her jump.

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I didn't mean to frighten you." Alice stood beside her.

Peyton smiled. "It's fine." She returned her gaze to Richard, the pure sight of him causing her stomach to drop. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"A year ago, after his divorce. He asked me to come see him and help him get situated, which I did. That woman did a number on him, Peyton." She sighed softly. "People think that he's tough and heartless, but in reality, he's just the opposite."

"He told me that you almost had his head when he filed for divorce."

She chuckled. "I did. He just didn't tell me what was really going on, so here I was, thinking that they had a perfect marriage, when in reality, it was terrible for him. And I didn't want him going through that. He's my son. I just want him to be happy."

"So how long will you stay here?"

"They keep trying to push me out. I'm getting too old for this, I know. They have me a replacement set to start next year, and after I train them of my ways, I'll come back to London."

"Well, I know Richard will be thrilled if you tell him that. He talks about you often, I just never knew what you did. I assumed you lived in England by everything that he has told me."

"I must say I'm surprised he's spoken so highly of me," She nudged Peyton's shoulder softly.

"You've raised him right," Peyton smiled at her.

"Thank you. After his father died, I was terrified of raising him alone - a son? By myself? I'd like to think that he raised me after all this time." She chuckled. "He cares for you, Peyton, in a way I've never seen care for someone before. And not just because you were his mission."

"I have to admit something, something that I've never even told Richard before. The first time that I met him, that morning in my kitchen, I felt something so strong and so fierce that I nearly couldn't speak. I never believed in love, or love at first sight, or marriage, or wanting to be with one person for the rest of my life. I felt as if it were some fairy tale that existed in girls' heads to exploit them into being wives and mothers."

She shook her head and smiled. "Your mother must be pleased. Being so headstrong, and independent."

Peyton scoffed. "Just the opposite, actually. She's disowned me. Never wants to speak to me again, so she's said."

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry," She laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly.

"It's alright." She smiled at the sight of Richard walking down the dock towards her. "I've grown to realize I can't make her love me, even if I am her daughter."

“Well, she’s missing out on watching grow into a beautiful, independent, strong woman.”

Peyton smiled at her. “Thank you. At least someone feels that way.”

“I do, and I’m pretty sure he does as well,” She smirked, nodding her head towards Richard.

He stood in front of the two at the gate. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

*****

**july 7**

**caribbean sea**

Richard pressed his ear to Peyton's chest and concentrated on the steady, rhythmic beats drumming inside, closing his eyes and smiling softly. He let his hand fall to her abdomen, where he lifted the hem of her tank top and slid his hand onto the sensitive skin.

Peyton ran her fingertips from the nape of his neck all the way up to his forehead, dragging her fingernails against his skin lightly. He sighed heavily and raised his head.

“Are you alright?” She inquired, furrowing her brows at his sudden movement.

He nodded, pressing his lips to hers, kissing her gently. She let out a soft moan and cradled his head in her hands. He pulled away from her and smiled. “I just really wanted to kiss you, that’s all,”

“Is that all?” She dropped her hand down his bare chest, her fingertips trailing to the waistband of his boxer-briefs.

He shook his head slowly from side to side. “No, there’s so much more I’d like to do to you right now,” He whispered, bringing his lips back to hers.

She slid her fingers into the front of his underwear and slowly took hold of his semi-erect cock. “Tell me what else you’d like to do to me,”

He groaned and bit her bottom lip. “All I want to do is make love to you, Peyton Morrow.”

She released her grip on him and smiled. “Then make love to me.”

“Are you sure you feel up to it?” He studied her reaction as he slid his hand across her abdomen.

“I’m sure, Richard, it’s almost been two weeks.”

He took the hem of her tank top into his fingertips and gently pulled it over her head. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”

She rested a hand on his cheek and smiled up at him. “I’m okay, I promise.”

He hooked his fingers into the side of her black boyshorts and pulled them from her legs, throwing them from the bed. “And you’ll tell me to stop if I need to?”

“Of course.” Richard leaned back and admired her naked body, a sigh escaping his lips. He sat in that position for a few minutes, their eyes remaining on each other. He pulled his underwear off his legs and slowly crawled over her, placing light kisses across her thighs and torso.

“Richard,” Peyton’s voice was low and full of emotion as she called his name.

“Yes, love.” He looked up at her, his hand remained tight on her thigh, his thumb caressing the sensitive skin.

“I don’t want you to leave me.” She stated, her gaze remaining tight on his.

He smiled at her, trailing his fingers to her warm, pink center. “Oh, Peyton, never in my life would I ever think about such a thing.” His index finger grazed her folds lightly, teasing her for his touch. She dropped her head into the pillows and closed her eyes. “What did I do to deserve you, Peyton?” His fingertip continued to trace along the outside of her folds slowly.

She chuckled, throwing her hands to the wooden slats of the headboard behind her. “The question is, my dear, what did I do to deserve you?” He slid his finger inside her folds, curling it up slightly to hit that sweet spot deep inside her. Her hips rolled, aching for more of him. He leaned over her, kissing her lips gently, adding another finger and increasing his speed.

“Richard,” She pleaded, “I need you.”

“And I need to feel you come all over my fingers, then I’m going to make love to you all night long.” He kissed her passionately, his tongue pushing through her lips hungrily. She tangled her fingers in his hair. “Do you remember that time when I woke you up at two in the morning from behind, pulling your hips into my cock?”

Her hips lurched towards his hand, her breaths growing heavier, and he knew she was close. “God, Peyton, you were so wet and so willing to wake up to my cock inside you.”

“Don’t stop,” She moaned, clutching fistfuls of his hair.

“The sweet sound of skin smacking skin, your soft moans echoing from the pillow you were biting, your fingers entangled in the sheets around us. You’re so damn sexy from behind,” His lips trailed across her jaw line, his deep voice sending chills down her entire body.

“Fuck, Richard,” She felt the waves coming on strong. _Almost there._ A hand dropped to his shoulder blade, her fingernails digging into his skin. “Faster,” Within the next thirty seconds, he felt her walls tighten around his fingers and held them inside her tightly, letting her sex contract against him was one of the most mind blowing experiences he could have ever asked for.

As her breathing steadied, he slowly pulled his fingers from her, dropping his hand to her thigh, opening her legs wide for him and only him. He leaned down and kissed her softly, gently, and she rolled her hips towards his, bending her knees and leaning them tight against his torso.

“Are you sure you feel okay,” He whispered, taking his lips from hers and resting them on her earlobe.

She smiled. “Yes,”

With his tip at her entrance, he moaned as he slowly thrusted into her and once again, her walls molding completely to his throbbing cock. He brought his lips back to hers, kissing her gently, and finally resting his forehead onto hers. Their eyes remained locked on one another, not concentrating on getting to their orgasm, instead they were entirely fixated on each other.

He continued to make love to her, for as long as he could have possibly held out. There was no slamming their body parts into one another, it was a moment he had wanted from the very first time he touched her. He wanted to kiss her, touch her, slowly make love to her in the most intimately way possible. And finally, he was able to.

*****

**july 17**

**caribbean sea**

Peyton adjusted the black Wayfarer’s on her face, still squinting behind the dark lenses. “This.” She started, shaking her head and pointing towards the open ocean, “It’s way too early to be this bright.”

Landon chuckled. “I love it out here, don't you?!"

She turned sharply towards him. "Um, no."

They turned their attention to Leslie, bringing breakfast to the table.

"This looks amazing, Leslie." Landon smiled up at her, a blush spreading on his cheeks.

"Thanks. Just some fruit, eggs, and toast. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thank you," Peyton watched silently as Landon studied Leslie until she was unseen, a smile tugging on her lips. "Do you see something that interests you, Landon?"

"What! Please," He scoffed, taking a piece of wheat toast and setting it on his plate. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes you do. I saw the way you were looking at her."

Landon shook his head fervently. "Richard! Tell Peyton to leave me alone."

Richard walked up to the table, placed a soft kiss on the top of Peyton's head and chuckled. "You are well aware that even if I were to tell her to do something, she wouldn't do it." He sat down next to her and poured himself a glass of orange juice.

"Stop fighting it, Landon." Peyton smiled at him and took a bite of a strawberry.

"I'm not fighting it, Peyton, God, I just..." He trailed off, shrugging his shoulders. "Women are difficult to talk to. They're so cute, and I get all frustrated and forget what I'm talking about."

Richard laughed. "It's because you're nervous, Landon. You can't just immediately go up to a woman and ask her out. Relax, get to know her."

"We have plenty of time out here, Landon. And we're going to be in... where are we going to be in a few days?" Peyton turned towards Richard, plucking a grape from her plate and putting it to her lips.

"Barbados, in two days. It would be a nice gesture to maybe take her out to dinner? She does do a lot around here, I'm sure she would appreciate someone thinking about doing something nice for her." Richard leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Good idea, Richard. Now how do I ask her out?"

Richard smirked. "Landon. I'm not going to tell you how to do everything around here."

*****

**july 20**

**barbados**

Richard walked up behind Peyton and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well, he figured something out on his own, didn't he?" He leaned his chin on her shoulder as they watched Landon and Leslie walk from the yacht and onto the pier.

Peyton chuckled. "That's not very nice, Richard. Some men have a hard time speaking to women, you should be understanding of his issues."

"Understanding of his issues?" He tilted his head towards her.

Peyton turned around to face him. "You have to admit, Richard, you did have a hard time opening up to me."

He nodded. "Yes, yes, I did, but it all worked out in the end, didn't it?" He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. "How are you feeling tonight?"

"I'm okay," She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "A little hungry."

"Hungry, hmm? Why don't we explore Barbados for the night? Have some dinner, experience a little island culture."

"How long are we going to be here for? And please say more than a night." Peyton rubbed the back of his neck softly and bit her bottom lip.

Richard sighed. "We'll be here for a few days, yes. We're about to be at sea for 13 days, I thought a little break might be encouraging. Why? Is there something you would like to do?"

"You, me, on the beach, with no clothes..."

He smiled at her and kissed her softly. "Then experience it, you shall."


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains smut... just an FYI. :) This is the last chapter of Running Too Far, so I hope you've enjoyed this little story. I'll be adding a few one-shots that has came to mind, so be on the look out for some more insight into Richard and Peyton's new life. Thank you so much for all your support and love... I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!

**||twenty two||**

**july 29**

**atlantic ocean**

“Colonel Stewart.” Richard took the satellite phone in his hands and leaned up against the top railing of the yacht.

“Richard. How’s the trip?”

“We’re three days away from Cape Verde and everyone’s looking forward to coming into port.”

“Wonderful news! And no other surprises?”

“Not yet. It seems to be smooth sailing, so to speak.”

Colonel Stewart chuckled. “I’m glad. Listen, I hate to take you away from Dr. Morrow, but I have a few things I need to speak with you about.”

“Alright.”

“Tell me. What’s your honest opinion of Staff Sergeant Parker Morrow and Lieutenant General Austin Morrow?”

Richard sighed heavily, attempting to form his words carefully. “I believe they’re great assets to their team.”

“I was thoroughly impressed by their interviews regarding Peyton and her disappearance.”

“Lieutenant General Morrow is a very smart, very strategic man to have on your side; his mind is constantly on alert regarding strategic techniques. And Staff Sergeant Morrow is a genius; you should see how fast he can hack into the CIA’s network. It’s alarming.”

Colonel Stewart chuckled. “That’s the information that I was looking for. Thanks, Richard. I’ll see you soon.”

Richard tucked the phone into the back pocket of his pants and gripped the metal railing tightly in his hands. He looked down at Peyton, curled up in a chair reading a book, and his lips curled into a delicate smile.

“Richard, what are you doing up here?”

He turned at Landon’s voice. “Just had a call from Colonel Stewart.”

Landon leaned up on the railing next to him. “Anything good?”

“No, just checking in.”

He nodded his head slowly. “Are you upset that they’re moving me to work with Peyton?”

Richard chuckled. “Oh, Landon. Why would I be upset about that?”

He shrugged. “Because I figured you’d want to work closely with her.”

“It’s a good opportunity for you, Landon, who do you think put you there? I trust you to work with her and learn from her. She’s a genius, you know.”

Landon turned towards him slowly. “You’ve just been so… quiet lately.”

Richard nodded. “I have been. I just worry about her, she’s not speaking much and seems to have a lot going on inside her head.”

“She’s going to need counseling when we get back, that’s for sure. None of us have ever been through as much shit as she has, being a civilian and all.”

“I already have that set up. She’s not thrilled about it but knows its for the best.”

“Have you heard from her family?”

“Yes,” Richard sighed heavily. “They’re safe in DC, for the time being.” He turned towards Landon slowly. “You’ve done a terrific job here, Landon, I hope you know that.” He brought his hand to his shoulder and squeezed it gently.

“Thank you, Richard. I appreciate that, it means a lot.”

“Now. Let’s go relax, shall we?”

*****

**august 2**

**cape verde**

“I know you’ve heard me say this a thousand times, but can we please stay here?” Peyton snuggled further into Richard’s chest, enjoying the calm lull of the boat rocking softly. “The crystal blue waters, white sand beaches…”

Richard chuckled, resting his hand on her arm and running his fingertips across her soft, salty skin. “I wish we could. Imagine, having a small cottage on the beach, a hammock on the front porch, waking up and going to bed with the rise and fall of the sun.”

“Stop teasing, Richard, it’s not nice.”

“Maybe one day, hmm? After I retire and you work for a few years.”

She pulled her head back from his chest and looked up at him. “And what are you going to when you retire?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ll still probably work with the headquarters, I just won’t have a military contract.”

She laid her head back down on his chest with a sigh. “If the US government wanted to kill me, why was I shot in the stomach? It would’ve made more sense with a shot to the head or heart.”

Richard wrapped his arms around her tightly. “They didn’t want to kill you, they wanted to wound you so they would be responsible for your survival.”

“Oh.” She was quiet as she processed the information, still unable to grasp the fact that her government knew more about her than she did.

Peyton sat up from the outdoor chaise lounge as she heard footsteps echo off the deck of the yacht. Leslie sat down a plate, filled with a truffle grilled cheese and sweet potato fries on a table next to them. “I wanted to make sure you ate something before we left for the evening.” She smiled at Peyton softly.

“Thank you, Leslie. That’s very sweet of you.”

“You two have fun, alright? Just don’t get into anymore trouble, please. I swear if I have to come rescue you again…” Richard shook his head and a smile grew to his lips.

“Yes, dad,” Leslie rolled her eyes and headed back towards the kitchen.

Peyton grabbed a triangle of the delicious, cheese and truffle filled sandwich. “Just let them have fun, Richard.” She brought the sandwich to her mouth and took a bite, moaning softly.

“Why can’t I make you moan like that?” He teased, running his hand up her thigh.

She looked at him and simply shrugged. “Feed me.”

“Feed you?” He repeated, smiling. “During sex?”

She winked at him. “Oh, darling. You know my food moans and sex moans are on two totally different caliber’s. Don’t take it so personal.”

*****

**august 11**

**casablanca**

“So this is Morocco?” Peyton crossed her arms across her chest tightly.

Richard nodded, coming up beside her and placing his grip on the railing of the top deck. “It is.”

“It’s so crowded.”

“Yes, it is. Which is why I’m not letting you get off this boat.”

“Ugh.” She groaned, turning around to face him. “How much longer is this going to take?! I’m going stir crazy.”

He chuckled. “I’m aware, Peyton. We’ll leave Casablanca tomorrow morning and sail to Valencia, Spain by the 14th. From there we’ll get off the boat and drive to Perpignan, France, stay the night there and then head to Paris, where we’ll stay an extra day, just to relax, and then we’ll be in London by the 18th.”

She dropped her hands and rested them on his chest. “And is there a reason you’re being so incredibly sweet?”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Because once we get to London, everything is going to go by so fast and be quite overwhelming, that I wanted to end this trip on a good note.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. “See? I can be sweet at times.”

She chuckled. “You and your thoughtfulness, Richard.” She kissed him again, relishing in the private moment between the two. “You mean a lot to me, you know that right?”

He nodded, smiling softly at her. “I promise you, Peyton Morrow, that you mean so much more to me.”

*****

**august 16**

**paris**

The Eiffel tower lit up the Parisian skyline softly with the moon shining brightly behind it, creating a romantic glow into their hotel window. Peyton took in a deep breath, her eyes still focused solely on the tower.

Never in her life had she personally witnessed this beautiful city, and now that she has, she wanted to experience more. After their entire ordeal, she feared that she would live in a constant state of fear, but instead, it was the complete opposite. She wanted to live freely, explore deeply, love wholeheartedly. An entire new outlook on her life.

“So deep in thought…” Richard trailed off, sliding into the bed behind her.

A smile spread on her lips as she turned to face him. “Just absorbing,” She planted a light kiss on his lips, her hand resting on his cheek.

“And what are you so intently absorbing?”

“The atmosphere here… it’s just so different.” She let her hand fall to his shoulders, her fingertips grazing his freshly cleansed skin softly. His post-shower aroma always took her to another level completely; how one person could turn her on just by stepping out of the shower amazed her.

“It is different. It suits you better here,” He gave her an encouraging smile while pulling his body closer to hers.

She chuckled. “Is that so? You think I’ll like it better over here than the US?”

“Oh, I know you will. You’ll have far more opportunities for yourself - regarding your career and personal life.”

“Personal life?” She furrowed her brows, an anxious knot forming in her stomach.

“Yes, love. No more pressure or someone telling you that aren’t good enough; the ability to branch out and become who you want to be as a person.” He kissed her lips. “I can’t wait to watch you branch out and take on a whole new world, Peyton.” She smiled at him. He shut his eyes, a soft smile forming on his lips. “Now, it’s getting late, shall we?”

She dragged her fingertips from his shoulder and down his arm, stopping at his hand. “I’m really not in the mood to go to bed yet, Richard.”

“Oh, I know you aren’t. And neither am I.” His voice grew lower, the baritone constants dragging down her spine drew chills across her back.

“Then what are you in the mood for?” Her fingertips dipped lower under the sheets, slowly finding his cock and taking it into her hand. A groan rose from his chest as he dipped his head back. “You.”

“Me? What about me?” She slowly began to work her palms up and down his shaft.

“I want to taste you, lick you, until I feel you come onto my lips.” In one quick motion, he turned her onto her back and attacked her neck and chest with nips and kisses. She leaned her head onto the mountain of plush pillows behind her, drawing her arms up to the padded headboard behind her. His lips trailed down her chest, slowly outlining her ribcage and finally landing softly onto her abdomen.

He looked up at her as his fingertips grazed over the healing scars from her accident, pink and callous to the touch. She smiled down at him, encouraging him, telling him that it was alright, that it wasn’t a memory she didn’t hold him accountable for.

Dragging his fingertips down her hips and thighs, he smiled as she willingly held her thighs open for him. He gripped the tight muscle firmly, his hands pushing them up as he slowly moved farther down her body. He leaned onto his elbows, his fingertips tracing over her folds. He licked his lips hungrily as he watched her grow impatient with each minute he teased her.

Finally, he brought his lips to her warm center, his tongue lapping her sweet, pink folds. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, the hair from his beard scratching the inside of her thighs which only made her hungry for more. The sudden flick of his tongue against her clit made her cry out and her hips buck towards him.

He pressed one hand against her hip, holding her down onto the bed. His other free hand moved towards her center where he pressed two fingers into her deeply, making sure to hit that sensitive spot. Another moan rolled off her lips. “Oh, Richard,” She bit her bottom lip, floating on the edge of desire. “Don’t stop.”

His lips and tongue hit against her sensitive folds were such a tease she could barely stand it any longer. She brought a hand to his head and tangled her fingers in his hair tightly. His tongue continued to massage her swollen bud, and feeling that she was close, his fingers worked themselves in and out of her heat quickly. “I’m so close,” She tightened her grip onto his scalp.

With one final flick of his tongue, he felt her release wash over her body. He kissed the inside of her thigh and slowly drew his fingers from her still clenched walls, enjoying watching as the wave of pleasure surrounded her entirely.

He sat up and crawled over her, biting his bottom lip softly. “You, Peyton Morrow, are so sickeningly sweet, I can hardly stand it.”

*****

**august 18**

**london**

“What about my father? And Parker?” Peyton crossed her arms across her chest and breathed a deep sigh, continuing her gaze out of her new bedroom window. “I mean, they are safe, aren’t they?”

Richard smiled at her and slowly walked towards her, his heavy footsteps echoing off the hardwood floors. “Your father and brother are perfectly safe, Peyton. The US couldn’t prove that they had anything to do with your disappearance or death.”

“So, they still believe that I’m dead?”

“The US does. They’ve verified dental records and blood samples, so there’s no reason for them to think any different. And since they’re on foreign soil over here, they can’t do anything about it if say, they saw you or wanted to ask you a question. You’re a citizen of the UK, my dear, and that’s what they’ll be forced to believe.”

Peyton furrowed her brows. “Dental records? How did you,”

“You know I can’t answer those questions, love.”

She turned around, relaxing her arms from her chest. “What about my family?”

Richard sighed, rubbing his hand across his jaw line. “Honestly?” He shrugged. “I think they know that it was a ploy. I’m surprised that you and Parker don’t have some sort of psychic telephone connection to speak to each other whenever you want.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Richard. You know I couldn’t tell you that even if I wanted to.”

He chuckled. “We need to get going, Peyt… We’ll have plenty of time to discuss everything when we get back.”

“When will I have my furniture? I can’t sleep on the floor.”

“Don’t worry, princess. It will all be here after we get back from headquarters.”

She raised her eyebrows, a smirk pulling on her lips. “That’s queen to you. And don’t forget it.”

*****

Peyton stood in front of the glass doors silently, her eyes studying the traffic of people coming through the large, open building.

Richard took her hand in his. “This is headquarters. David and I both have offices here, and Landon’s office is in the underground building where you are.” He looked down at her, noticing the anxiety creeping into her eyes. “You have nothing to worry about, Peyton. Even though I can’t stay with you here, they’ll take perfectly good care of you.”

She nodded slowly. "So, this is it?"

He smiled and squeezed her hand encouragingly. "This is it."


End file.
